DISGRUNTLED Eastern Cape traditional leaders want the Health Department to relinquish all powers vested in it to save initiates’ lives during the forthcoming summer initiation season.

The traditional leaders recently launched a bid to have the Application of Health Standards in Traditional Circumcision Act amended.

About 54 boys died and 13 others lost their genitals because of botched circumcisions during the winter circumcision season in Transkei.

Areas affected included Ngqeleni, Libode, Lusikisiki and Qumbu.

One effect in the Act, passed by the Eastern Cape legislature in 2001 to address problems relating to the custom, was that traditional leaders were made to play fringe roles.

Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA (Contralesa) provincial secretary Chief Xolile Ndevu said this week the leaders wanted “complete power” to drive the tradition.

According to the Act, traditional surgeons and their attendants cannot perform circumcisions unless they are approved by a medical officer appointed by the department. No initiation school may operate before obtaining permission from the local medical officer.

Ndevu said he felt government had given too much power to the Health Department to run the tradition.

“We say the Act should be amended and depict clearly what role the Health Department should play. They mustn’t hand all powers to the department.

“Boys should go to a hospital for check-ups before going to the bush, but everything else should fall under our jurisdiction as traditional leaders.

“All these years we have been begging the department to have this Act amended, but to no avail.”

Although he would not say much, Contralesa chairman Chief Ngubo Mgcotyelwa confirmed that the bid to have the Act amended was an “ongoing” initiative.

However, provincial Health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said this week his department would not back down, and would continue to intervene in the custom. “We will continue to play our part as long as there is a problem that is health-related.”

He claimed the department was not interested in running the practice itself. “The only thing we are concerned about is the health of these young boys who go to the bush. So any goal that is aimed at protecting their lives is welcomed by the department,” he said.

Kupelo brushed off claims that the Act had given the department too much power over traditional leaders regarding the custom. He said the only problem traditional leaders had with them was probably “that we are too good in what we do” (protecting the lives of initiates).