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Injury, violence, and crime prevention at cultural male initiation schools in Giyani and Malamulele in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract This article explores the role of traditional leadership in partnership policing to prevent crimes, violence and injuries associated with traditional customs at initiation schools in Giyani and Malamulele, Limpopo Province, South Africa. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 key role-players including tribal chiefs, indunas and headmen, representatives from the South African Police Service (SAPS), three other relevant government departments and members of the local Community Police Forum (CPF). Between 2006 and 2016 in Limpopo Province, 39 deaths of and 815 injuries to initiates were reported. Injuries, violence, and crimes committed against these initiates, botched circumcisions, septicaemia, gangrene, kidney failure, penile amputations, and assault, create difficulties not only for traditional leaders, but also for the SAPS. The findings of this study suggest that the role of traditional leaders in partnership policing in the Giyani and Malamulele districts in Limpopo to prevent crimes, violence and injuries associated with the practice of traditional customs at initiation schools has not been as successful as prescribed by the relevant policies and legislation. This article concludes with recommendations to develop a multi-stakeholder partnership policing strategy to enhance the role of traditional leaders to prevent this phenomenon.