Fears grow after initiation death toll increases to nine
Ngqeleni pair victims of ‘illegal circumcisions’
SONWABILE Ntshaqa and Thandisizwe Nkununtu have become the latest casualties in the winter initiation season – bringing the death toll to nine.
Ntshaqa of Ngamnye Village Number One, whose age is unknown, and 19-year-old Thandisizwe Nkununtu of Mnyameni village in the Ezinduneni Administrative area at Ngqeleni, died on Wednesday.
Of the nine initiates who died, seven were from the Nyandeni municipal jurisdiction, one from Buffalo City Metro and another from Ngcobo. Government and traditional leaders voiced their concerns over the deaths and, with the winter initiation season in its third week, there are fears that the number of deaths will top last year’s winter season death toll of 11.
Cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) provincial spokesman Mamkeli Ngam said: “Both initiates died on Wednesday and both were illegally circumcised and without the knowledge and permission of their parents.
“They did not undergo the mandatory pre-circumcision medical examination to check if a boy is medically fit to undergo the rite.”
Cogta MEC Fikile Xasa last week declared Nyandeni an emergency, saying traditional initiation monitoring teams from other districts had been diverted to Nyandeni municipal area, to assist in curbing deaths.
Ngam said Nyandeni had proved over the years to be very problematic, as in most seasons it always recorded high numbers of initiate deaths, penile amputations, assaults of initiates and high rates of illegal circumcision where boys young as 13 years are circumcised.
During last year’s winter season 11 initiates died, five following an accidental fire in Qumbu.
Of those deaths, eight were from the O R Tambo region.
There were also 10 penile amputations, six being from O R Tambo, which Nyandeni falls under.
A total of 14 012 boys underwent the rite but of those 2 297 were illegally circumcised. There were 68 criminal cases including murder, illegal circumcision and 17 of assault opened with police.
A total of 40 traditional practitioners were arrested. —