IT'S SO sad that these wonderful days have turned into moments of sorrow, regret and tears.
IT'S SO sad that these wonderful days have turned into moments of sorrow, regret and tears.
Last winter more that 50 young men returned home in coffins during their initiation .
It's frightening but not shocking anymore. We are getting so numb to the numbers that sometimes we, the men of the village, can only say: "It was never like this in our time".
Eastern Cape health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo puts it best: "If people die in a plane crash it becomes a national concern, but with these deaths it looks as if it's business as usual for the community."
Our leaders have tirelessly been seeking solutions without tampering with our culture . I sometimes wonder if we, the younger men who have gone through the passage, are doing enough, or anything at all, to save those following us.
We're young, smart, educated, global and we know the truth, but we have distanced ourselves from the situation.
We expect traditional leaders and the government to save the young men, but maybe the solution lies with us. Maybe we are the ones who should be brave, look at culture and say: "You are killing us and from now on we are going to do this differently".
Young Xhosa men have a role to play in engaging and educating not only our younger brothers, but the community, and to a certain extent our leaders .
I pray this year will be a turnaround and families and communities will guide and protect young men. Not all of them have happy and caring families and we as neighbours and older men should save them.
I don't know how long it will take to completely defeat this, but if we go back to being a caring community, in which every child is my child, maybe we will save more lives and save our culture.
Chuma Kave, Gauteng
Death of young boys so sad
IT'S SO sad that these wonderful days have turned into moments of sorrow, regret and tears.
IT'S SO sad that these wonderful days have turned into moments of sorrow, regret and tears.
Last winter more that 50 young men returned home in coffins during their initiation .
It's frightening but not shocking anymore. We are getting so numb to the numbers that sometimes we, the men of the village, can only say: "It was never like this in our time".
Eastern Cape health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo puts it best: "If people die in a plane crash it becomes a national concern, but with these deaths it looks as if it's business as usual for the community."
Our leaders have tirelessly been seeking solutions without tampering with our culture . I sometimes wonder if we, the younger men who have gone through the passage, are doing enough, or anything at all, to save those following us.
We're young, smart, educated, global and we know the truth, but we have distanced ourselves from the situation.
We expect traditional leaders and the government to save the young men, but maybe the solution lies with us. Maybe we are the ones who should be brave, look at culture and say: "You are killing us and from now on we are going to do this differently".
Young Xhosa men have a role to play in engaging and educating not only our younger brothers, but the community, and to a certain extent our leaders .
I pray this year will be a turnaround and families and communities will guide and protect young men. Not all of them have happy and caring families and we as neighbours and older men should save them.
I don't know how long it will take to completely defeat this, but if we go back to being a caring community, in which every child is my child, maybe we will save more lives and save our culture.
Chuma Kave, Gauteng