Summer initiation deaths soar to 18

THE number of initiates who have died since the start of the summer initiation season has risen to 18.

The department of health said doctors had been deployed to a number of districts in the province to assist in curbing the deaths.

Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders chairman Chief Ngangomhlaba Matanzima said the deaths toll kept rising despite the massive effort of officials and millions of rands and resources being pumped into various programmes aimed at putting an end to the deaths.

However, Matanzima said it was not all bad news as there were a number of pockets of success.

“The problem is that initiates are not given enough water and the heat leaves most dehydrated,” he said.

He said that if initiation schools made sure initiates were hydrated and parents get more involved and visited their sons frequently, it was possible to record no deaths.

Matanzima applauded the effort being put in by the department of health to try and ensure a safer initiation season.

However, he raised concerns regarding the department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs in terms of providing resources.

“Initiation is not the responsibility of government and we all know that. But the situation we are in with deaths needs all to pull together and the government to assist,” he said.

Cogta spokesman Mankeli Ngam said the department was heartened by the news that some traditional surgeons had been arrested and were appearing in court on various charges relating to unlawful circumcision.

“In Cacadu [formerly Lady Frere] 30-year-old accused Batandwa Banana has been found guilty on charges of unlawful circumcision and fined R500 or three months imprisonment.

“The sentence was wholly suspended for six months on condition that he is not found guilty of a similar offence during that period,” said Ngam.

He said Cogta and local municiplities were doing their best to insure the rite was practised safely.

Health department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said that one of the initiates had died in Uitenhage.

“Our officials are investigating allegations of a drug overdose of mandrax and dagga in that death,” he said.