Since 1994 - As the Basotho - Mahlubi community in Cape Town  and the Stellenbosch area , we have been utilizing The Stellenbosch mountain to practice our initiation process. It is our human right to practice the initiation process. Male initiation in South Africa refers to a cultural practice that marks the transformation of young men to adulthood. This process is crucial, because the male initiation prepares young men to be responsible men in society. 

The Stellenbosch Mountain area is very confidential and also is suitable for the use of our initiation school. This process takes place every year,  it happens over  the summer season from November until January.

We have received reports from the Municipal offices in Stellenbosch that prevent us from utilizing the Nature reserve, due to fires caused by this process. It has come to us a surprise, because we are only left with 3 weeks to commence with the initiation season and also we are very responsible when it comes to fire and over the past years, we never had any fire - related reported cases.

This petition is it to help the Basotho - Mahlubi community in Cape Town and other surrounding areas to continue utilizing the Stellenbosch Mountain to practice our initiation program as it forms part of who we are. 

If this area remains closed, we won't have a convenient area to practice this process and that means our values as the Basotho - Mahlubi community are compromised.