Responses to ’Listen, boys: the snip is just a false sense of … – The Times

I’m an avid follower of Andile Mngxitama’s articles, particularly on the plight of farmworkers and black landlessness.

However his piece last week will go down as the lowest attempt in an otherwise illustrious writing career. His piece is riddled with a senseless diatribe against initiation. For him to call iniation a “backward traditional practice”, when nations continue to practice their century old traditions, exposes the writer’s ignorance about the significance of his own culture. Initiation inculcates a sense of responsibility, respect for women and elders, as well as proper conduct in society. If Mngxitama has been to initation school, he will know these things, unless his views are of the “uninitiated”.

His attempt to pander to gender activists, by portraying a noble tradition as a reason for women abuse, is grossly disingenious. To reduce the problems in the Eastern Cape to the issue of initiation, is not only silly, but childish,and not befitting of a man of Mr Mngxitama’s intellect. This argument is tantamount to questioning the relevance of Christianity in the midst of all the strife in the world. Initiation taught me to respect women and children, and not abuse them, as Mngxitama falsely claims!
Lwando Norman, Lyndhurst

# To add on to Andile Mngxitama’s expose’; honestly speaking the culture of the Xhosa’s must be re-examined to instill a different outlook on life for the ‘transition from boys to men’ by initiates. Currently the values instilled in these participants seem to be stuck in the 80’s or whatever period pre-democracy and equality of genders. Despite this flaw, I am of the view that such a tradition should remain exactly that – a tradition. What must transform is the substance not the core.

When one is born they are babies, then grow to be toddlers, teens and ultimately adults. Without these societal norms we would have pandemonium. Ukwaluka is the equivalent of being an adult in Western culture. Through each of the steps of growth one is expected to act in a pre-approved manner, contrary action leading to an individual being labeled a delinquent. Delinquents are evident everywhere and not just in Xhosa culture.

The ridicule by white farmers was and is demeaning. Throughout life we are subjected to authority of others, as labourers in farms or lawyers in courts and subjected to ridicule by farm owners and judges/magistrates. The measure of our manhood is in how we deal with the circumstances we face; do we succumb or move beyond the challenge? — Mvuyisi Mlandu, by email

# In his article (Listen, boys: the snip is just a false sense of superiority – November 9), Andile Mgxitama is advancing an argument that the right of passage to manhood does not equate to being a “real man” and therefore must be abolished. I find it odd that the article seems to be dwelling much on the Xhosas as if they are the only tribe in South Africa that practice this ritual. It is also unfortunate that Mngxitama has chosen to berate the traditional practice (Initiation) as opposed to bemoaning the ethical shortcomings of men and their role in society in general.

He chooses to play to the crowd by mentioning known cases of people that are in the public eye (Fikile Mbalula) to advance his narrow view that going through initiation does not bring any meaningful change to a man`s behaviour. What about those man in the rural Eastern Cape of Amagqunukwebe whose excellent conduct as circumcised men did not make newspaper headlines? Is he suggesting that every circumcised Xhosa man is misbehaving? In his inferior analysis Mngxitama further assumes that people who rape in the name of asserting their manhood are circumcised men. Says who?

Could it be that Mngxitama`s views on initiation are a reflection of his own reality, could it be that he, by virtue of his lack of experience and in depth understanding of the “real” initiation process that his foot and mouth comments are misplaced? These foreign views about Xhosa traditions are malicious and equivalent to an extreme act of provocation; even more provocative when one expresses offensive sentiments that the Eastern Cape is a province run by circumcised boys. Mngxitama`s boyish utterances are a disgrace. — Siyanda Saki, Cape Town

# I was shocked and embarrassed when I read an article by Andile Mngxitana, on page 19 of the Sunday Times November 9, 2008. I understood why an editor would allow such rubbish to be published.

This is one of the main reasons why the media has enjoyed a huge spate of attacks from the ruling party as they like to publish nonsensical articles that are baseless and far from the truth.

When Fikile Mbalula was abducted and sent to initiation school by his colleagues in the ANC they did it based on basic Xhosa principles that a boy cannot stand enkundleni with the elders, as this is regarded as disrespectful. This is also designed to assist young boys to understand the importance of positions in society and it teaches them respect for the elders. No one will allow their children talk nonsense in their presence even at the age of 14. This doesn’t mean at initiation school misbehavior will be transformed to good behavior immediately.

The author comes out as a man who’s been questioned about his mahood, or bitter that he went to the bush (“If he really went”) and is a strong promoter of rather anti African cultures and sees nothing wrong with his moving fingers as he writes such propaganda about the Xhosa culture of circumcision.

He selectively quotes Mosiuoa Lekota’s statement but fails to clarify that a boy even in white families, Chinese, Japanese or whatever he may be cannot speak to his elders as if he was talking to his friends. If he does that, he will be called to order. Terror was stating the fact that boys such as Julius Malema, Fikile Mbalula, Sihle Zikalala, Zizi Kodwa, Zwelinzima are still proving to be boys, going around the country lying to our innocent people about what is really happening in the once was powerful ANC. They are furthermore claiming that the C.O.P is merely a party for the “Elite”, and not the masses of our people and the youths they failed.

They say Businessmen & women who support the C.O.P do not represent the true values of our people but what about Tokyo Sexwale, a Billionaire, Cyril Ramaphosa, a multi-millionaire, Robert Gumede, a billionaire who recently donated R10 million to the ANC and Zuma himself.

It is very disturbing to note that in your article you bring in crimes such as rape, women abuse in the same breath as ukwaluka. There is no scientific evidence that you are coming up with to show the link between Xhosa chauvinism and these crimes. Boere have a better understanding of culture than you as they are embedded deeply in their Afrikaans roots, unlike you who grew up in Potchefstroom. The failure of your relatives to teach you about being a man is your problem.

The Eastern Cape is definitely lost from the ANC mainly due to the following reasons:

* the educated individuals like your grandfather left that province to go and ply their trade in other province and left their beloved eastern cape that sent them to school and hoped they will come back and uplift their township when they had made it, but their provinces waited in vain.

Xhosa’s are well known for their ability to try and please everyone. It is in our nature as you can recall the story of Nongqawuse. The fact is I understand where you’re coming from and unfortunately our people’s downfall will always come from within as we cannot be strong and stand together in defence of our traditions and customs. English speaking people have never in anyway changed their culture identifying their existence, same with the Boere, Spanish etc. You must ask yourself first why not? We are so easily persuaded to stray from our roots. The fact is, it’s about power