Conference on indigenous rites of passage for girls to be held in Mbombela
As South Africans celebrate Heritage Month, the Department of Science and Innovation and North-West University will host a national conference on the rites of passage for girls and women from 26 to 28 September 2023.
For centuries, rites of passage have been part of African culture – sacred rituals intended to help young girls and boys transition from childhood to adulthood.
The South African history of rites of passage is usually associated with circumcision by traditional surgeons, a category incorporated into the Traditional Health Practitioners Act of 2007. This Act does not fully describe what the work of an indigenous knowledge practitioner entails and has mistakenly been viewed as relevant only to men. However, women also undergo rites of passage based on the philosophy of embedding education and principles from conception to death.
The conference, being held under the theme "Ukukhuliswa Kwentombazane: Women's Worth", is intended to provide a platform for the discussion of preparing girls for various stages of development in their lives and to meet societal expectations.
The three-day event will see over 100 women participate in dialogues promoting social interaction, learning and appreciation of diversity, including the exchange between peers and across cultures of ukukhuliswa kwentombazane/ mophato/musevhetho and the prospects and challenges traditional health practitioners face in this discipline of competence.
The conference will provide an opportunity for the establishment of cross-cultural networks within the discipline of competence as well as a national framework for competency-based recognition for practitioners of the rite of passage for girls.
The media are invited to the opening plenary as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 26 September 2023
Time: 09:00 to 12:45
Venue: Mpumalanga Provincial Archives, Mbombela
For media enquiries and attendance, contact Thabang Setlhare at 072 659 9690 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Julian Leshilo-Sebake at 060 961 2194 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
