Summer initiation death toll up to 17 in East Cape

Seventeen initiates and a traditional nurse have died in the Eastern Cape since the start of summer initiation season on November 17.

Four of the deaths were recorded in the Chris Hani district while the OR Tambo district recorded three deaths, cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) provincial spokesperson Mamnkeli Ngam said on Sunday.

The most recent death is of a 17-year-old initiate at an illegal initiation school in Tsolo.

According to laws regulating traditional circumcision and initiation in the Eastern Cape, only boys 18 years and older can undergo the rite.

“There were 10 initiates. One died, two were rushed to Malizo Mpehle Memorial Hospital

in Tsolo and seven other were released to their respective homes,” Ngam said.

It was not immediately clear what had caused the death of the initiate but police were investigating, he said.

“This is the third death in OR Tambo. This follows a death that was reported on December 2 at Flagstaff.

“The deceased was a 20year-old initiate who was circumcised on November 26.

“He had hallucinations and died hours after that.

“The initiation school was legal and the initiate had been medically screened and found fit to undergo the rite.

“A second initiate, also aged 20, died in the OR Tambo district at Lower Ntafufu in Port St Johns on December 2.”

Ngam said the cause of death in all the others, except for one who died when his initiation lodge caught fire, was dehydration.

“Deaths happened mostly in legal initiation schools.”

Mnquma’s traditional initiation forum chair, Nkosi Patwa Nguza, said an 18-year-old initiate and his traditional nurse had both burnt to death in Emchwe village in Ngqamakhwe on December 1.

“It is suspected a kerosene light tipped over and ignited the hut when they were asleep in the early hours of Friday.

“Locals rushed to the scene and rescued the two victims. They were rushed to hospital where they died,” Nguza said.

Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders provincial chair Mwelo Nonkonyana said they were disappointed and ashamed at the deaths. —