Ezolwaluko “Intiation Watch” Positive Social Impact: A brief overview

Initiation is a sacred Xhosa rite, but it can be a nightmare if the right people are not involved.

City Press partnered with local leaders to reduce the number of young men who die in illegal initiation schools, and the number of men who are maimed for life.

The software application called Ezolwaluko built by Open Data Durban in partnership with Code for Africa and City Press enables parents and initiates to check whether the traditional surgeons they have chosen are registered with the provincial department of health, or find someone who is. It also enables users to report unregistered surgeons and illegal initiation schools, as well as initiates who are in trouble. ( City Press | By Lubabalo Ngcukana )

The health department had further prescriptions to help initiates which included surgeons needing permits to practice as well as surgeons requiring consent from the parents of the initiates. City Press received two awards for developing a software application to monitor illegal traditional practitioners and conducting an investigation into the death of initiates in the country last year.

This initiative taken by City Press is still in its early stages and will require more time to see a true change.The Community Development Foundation of South Africa, a non-governmental organisation working closer with Congress of the Traditional Leaders of South Africa, government departments and other civil society groups have recognised the work done by City Press to create awareness of the situation these initiates go through while also providing solutions to the problem. The software application paves a path for positive social impact using modern technology.

– Wasim

Wasim Moosa is a Software Developer at Open Data Durban, a tea drinker and a lover of code.

Originally published at Open Data Durban.