Bush deaths cast a pall

Summer toll already at 13 in just two weeks

THIRTEEN initiates have died in the Eastern Cape since the beginning of the circumcision season last month.

Cooperative governance and traditional affairs spokesman Mamnkeli Ngam said some of the initiates had committed suicide.

“Some committed suicide, some were assaulted and others died of dehydration and septicaemia.”

One of the initiates died on Friday while going home after he had graduated from the initiation school.

“People came out of the blue and started a fight in which the initiate was assaulted and killed. Seven people have been arrested in Bizana,” Ngam said.

He said the second initiate to die on Friday was from the Malahleni municipal area. Ngam said he started having hallucinations believed to be caused by dehydration.

“Rescue missions that have been conducted by our teams thus far, have seen between 10 and 27 initiates referred to traditional initiation centres, while 22 of them have been referred to various hospitals at Chris Hani, O R Tambo and Alfred Nzo District municipalities,” Ngam said.

The government and traditional leaders were shocked by the deaths and sent condolences to grieving families .

Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders (ECHTL) chairman Nkosi Ngangomhlaba Matanzima warned the province to brace itself for worse this summer as the grim toll was less than two weeks into the season.

Matanzima said they were baffled by the deaths as most were not in the Eastern Cape’s so-called hotspots.

“We do not know if it is the wrath of the ancestors or that we are cursed. We have done everything possible to prevent every death and ensure a safe initiation season with awareness campaigns across the province, but these deaths are claiming the lives of these boys in huge numbers,” Matanzima said.

The provincial government and the ANC were also concerned as thousands of boys in the province prepared to go to initiation school this week.

Matanzima said medical doctors should be dispatched to initiation schools to examine initiates.

“The high number of deaths, seemingly on average two or three a day, is of great concern to us. We must brace ourselves for worse disaster if things continue like this. It will be worse if the weather continues to be hot like this. This is just one of the saddest moments for our province.”

● In Chris Hani district, seven initiates have died; ● In O R Tambo, two; ● In Alfred Nzo one; ● In Joe Gqabi, two; and ● In Amathole, one death was reported.

Matanzima said: “We urge people to please give the initiates enough water to drink , especially on hot days. Water is greatly needed by the body. We also urge parents to be vigilant,” Matanzima said.

Eastern Cape ANC secretary Oscar Mabuyane said the reports about the initiates deaths were painful to the party.

“Government is doing everything in its power to ensure the passage from boyhood to manhood is a safe and educational transition for our young boys.

“Reports of deaths related to physical abuse are disturbing to us. We call on communities, traditional surgeons and nurses, as well as families of the initiates to play their role in ensuring initiates are safe during their circumcision process,” Mabuyane said.

The ANC said there was no need for any of the initiates to die or be a victim of abuse and it has called for those who are in breach of the rules and laws on circumcision to be arrested. —