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White boy goes to the mountain

BOYS TO MEN: Ndibulele Sobhoyisi and Estiaan Swanepoel, both 18, spent three weeks in the bush at Phinda Malova Traditional Initiation School in Centane, Eastern CapePhoto: LULAMILE FENI
BOYS TO MEN: Ndibulele Sobhoyisi and Estiaan Swanepoel, both 18, spent three weeks in the bush at Phinda Malova Traditional Initiation School in Centane, Eastern CapePhoto: LULAMILE FENI

Both black and white were united in celebration when an Afrikaans boy and a Xhosa boy graduated from initiation school.

Estiaan Swanepoel and Ndibulele Sobhoyisi - both 18 and from Gonubie in East London - spent three weeks at the Phinda Malova Traditional Initiation School in Centane, Eastern Cape, undergoing the traditional rite to manhood.

Instead of the normal practice of holding iminqayi - special traditional ritual sticks - the two clutched Bibles.

There was no alcohol and no rituals. There was instead a church ceremony conducted by Assemblies of God Church national deputy president Pastor Nkosinathi Mbombela and veteran preacher Pastor Thomas Seteni.

Estiaan's relative Johan van Niekerk, who travelled from Klerksdorp with his family for the event, was impressed and proud of the decision taken by the teenager.

"Being a white South African, this is an eye-opener. I hope the youngsters will obey the commitment that they have taken and be real men and the pride of the nation. It is nice to see black and white people doing things together."

Estiaan's mother Ester Swanepoel said she was happy her son is back and now a real man.

"I was very nervous when he went to the mountain. It is a good thing that the boys are embracing each other's culture.

"I am interested to see if they are going to be respectful and God-fearing men as people say they would be when coming back from initiation school."

Estiaan and Ndibulele, who are Grade 11 Hudson Park High pupils, wanted to undergo the rite together. "We are just like twins and have done everything together and I wanted that we become men together the same way," Estiaan said.

"I am glad that we have indeed done it and come back alive and make our family happy. I must agree it was tough though."

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