Richmond Community launches traditional cleansing ceremony to heal political violence wounds
Hundreds of people pay their last respects on July 18, 1998 at a funeral for 11 African National Congress (ANC) supporters killed in political violence in Ndaleni township outside Richmond in the Kwazulu-Natal province. Jenni, armed with her social science skills, and her roots in the struggle for democracy and justice, to embark on what was to be a life-long journey of studying how organized violence and insecurity impacted on people’s lives, says the writer.
Image: AFP
A community-led cleansing initiative is underway in Richmond, KwaZulu-Natal, as Isihlonti Sesizwe NGO collaborates with traditional leaders and faith communities to heal decades-old wounds from political violence that claimed over 120 lives.
The NGO together with the community of Richmond launched the cleansing and healing process to address the long-standing trauma of political violence that has scarred the area since the early 1990s.
Buyisile Mthembu, chairperson of Isihlonti Sesizwe said, "This cleansing is about restoring peace, unity, andspiritual balance so that development efforts can succeed.”
The process, which began in 2023, combines traditional and religious rituals and will culminate in a closing ceremony in 2026. The date of the final ceremony is yet to be announced.
The organisation said it is working in collaboration with Amakhosi, inter-denominational churches, and the Richmond Municipality, which has officially endorsed the project.
There have been extensive consultations since December 2023 involving victims, families, former perpetrators, schools, the taxi industry, traditional healers, faith-based organisations, municipal representatives, the Department of Justice, Amabutho, SAPS, The Department of Education, and Correctional Services.
Speaking on the importance of the ceremony, the organisation said Richmond was among the KwaZulu-Natal towns that experienced a surge in politically motivated killings post-apartheid, with at least 120 people killed between 1997 and 1999.
"One particularly brutal incident occurred on 26 September 1992 at Gengeshe, when nine men were killed and two wounded in a politically motivated attack. Decades later, the community continues to feel the impact of these events in its schools, families, and public life," the organisation explained.
The organisation stated that this ceremony is key to healing the wounds of the past. The organisation said work towards the main ceremony has been done.
Isihlonti Sesizwe NGO representatives stated that between August and October 2023, schools were spiritually and traditionally cleansed. Izigodi (traditional community districts) will undergo rituals including morning interfaith prayers, traditional ceremonies, burning of impepho, sacrifices, water aspersion, and communal feasts.
The initiative will culminate in 2026 with a Closing Gala and Interfaith Service at Richmond Country Club. "Its symbolism is profound: to remove the spiritual stain of bloodshed, restore ancestral harmony, and foster unity," the organisation said.
The Richmond municipality said it is aware of the cleansing ceremony, "the NGO proposed this, there are already stages of the ceremony that have taken place," said Municipal Spokesperson Sbonelo Bhengu.