Troubled Custom, Custom Troubles : Initiation Challenges in the Province of the Eastern Cape, South Africa

The purpose of this article was to explore challenges facing the age-old custom of circumcision in the Eastern Cape. The paper looked into the catastrophic deaths and identify key strengths and weaknesses in the age-old custom. A qualitative approach was employed through the face-to-face interview of 10 initiated young men drawn from both urban and rural areas of the Province. The findings suggest that influences of modern male masculinity and other international actions in determining what is needed for initiation policies and practices for the Province are taken into account, along with the relevant findings from the interview component of the field research. This study concluded with a call for more research with a range of other factors to better understand how safe circumcision can be promoted in the Eastern Cape. This paper strongly suggests that initiation, as a societal matter, be treated as a matter of urgency.