Call to parents as bush initiate deaths toll rises

SIX initiate deaths have been reported in the Eastern Cape, pushing the death toll to 24 this season.

A 44-year-old initiate died of unknown causes at an initiation school in Port Elizabeth, while another died of dehydration in Queenstown.

Three more initiates died in Mount Ayliff, Maluti and Dimbaza. Authorities were unable to confirm the details surrounding the death of the sixth initiate in the Chris Hani district yesterday. The deaths have been reported as: OR Tambo district municipality – five; Alfred Nzo district – six; Chris Hani – six; Buffalo City metro – three; Nelson Mandela Bay metro – two; Amathole district – one, and Joe Gqabi – one.

Cooperative governance and traditional affairs spokesman Mamnkeli Ngam said: “Government is doing monitoring and rescuing initiates, but we will not stop the number of deaths until parents take a leading role in this.”

Ngam said the monitoring teams had rescued more than 200 initiates from illegal initiation schools this season.

“Had it not been for the monitoring teams, the number [of dead] would have been bigger than it is. We have quite a big number of illegal schools.”

Ngam added: “Circumcision does not kill people. Thousands of men have undergone the ritual [and] they never died.

“It is a new trend where initiates are being abused – they are not given water, they are beaten up and they are not taken to hospital.

“In Ngqeleni, traditional leaders are working with government to ensure illegal schools are shut down. People need to learn from such communities.

“People must come to councillors, traditional leaders and the department to ask for assistance.

“We are determined to ensure the number of deaths decreases.”