Cape Town - The number of initiates who have died since the beginning of the initiation season last month in the Eastern Cape has increased to 11, according to the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa).
In the latest shocking incident, an initiate was found hanged in Mthatha.
The ten other recorded deaths resulted from various causes including dehydration, complications relating to underage circumcision and other underlying health conditions.
Last Thursday, seven deaths had been reported.
“All the parents must follow the regulations to the T. No one must take short cuts because the short cuts are compromising the lives of our children. People must follow all the steps that we have told them that they need to follow.
“A parent ought to take the child for medical examination upon approval. They must have someone from the family who is going to be there at the bush with the child. We cannot outsource that responsibility to somebody else, it’s anti-culture and unacceptable,” he said.
Mkiva also warned bogus initiation schools that they will be taken to task.
“For all these criminals we want them to know that the wheels of justice are going to ensure that they are taken to task because they are actually murderers,” he said.
Nyanga Initiation Forum chairperson Mark Khoabane said a drastic approach needed to be implemented in the Eastern Cape to curb fatalities
“It is very concerning to see initiates passing away, year after year.
Bogus initiation schools should be a thing of the past, community leaders need to be aware of such developments in their communities and avoid such schools to take place. Saps need to be more involved within initiation.”
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Eastern Cape spokesperson Pheello Oliphant said they have roped in the police to assist in clamping down on illegal initiation schools.
“There is a high level of negligence on the side of the parents, and this is a deep concern to the communities of the Eastern Cape at large.
“The intervention we are doing now we are asking the police to help is to clamp down on the culprits that advertise the illegal circumcision of the young boys,” said Oliphant said.
Police spokesperson Majola Nkohli said an inquest case has been opened for further investigation after a 20-year-old initiate was found hanging from a tree at Madlangathini locality.
“Police can confirm that an inquest case has been opened on Thursday, 8 December 2022 for further investigation.
“This comes after a 20-year-old male (initiate) was found hanging at Madlangathini locality.
“On the above-mentioned date at about 9am, police were summoned to a complaint of unnatural death.
The deceased person was one of the initiates at the initiation school that is located in Mandlangathini locality.
“The circumstances leading to the incident form part of the investigation,” he said.
Cape Times