Johannesburg – The summer initiation season in the Eastern Cape will go ahead but not in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says traditional leaders submitted a risk-adjusted plan, which the Department of Health and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs approved.
Ramaphosa says the plan includes strict adherence to health protocols, including screening of initiates, the provision of personal protective equipment and the provision of water for hygiene and to prevent dehydration.
The president said the measures that are being taken in Nelson Mandela Bay are not meant to punish residents.
“They are not intended to increase the hardship experienced by our citizens,” said Ramaphosa.
“These measures are needed to contain the spread of the virus and to save lives.”
