The Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders is calling on parents to take responsibility for their sons’ initiations.
This after a 20-year-old initiate from Nkunzini near the Magwa tea estate in Lusikisiki died after he was allegedly assaulted.
Chief Mpumalanga Gwadiso, the chairperson of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, advised families to be actively involved in the choice of initiation schools for their sons.
“They must ensure it is a legitimate school registered with the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders. Their sons must be medically screened prior to the procedure to establish if they are fit to undergo the initiation process,” said Gwadiso.
Gwadiso said a legal initiation school is one that is registered with the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders and runs according to the Customary Male Initiation Act.
According to the police, the 20-year-old initiate died on November 23 at an illegal school.
It is alleged that police were alerted by a health official about an illegal initiation school existing in the area.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said the initiation school was initially destroyed to close it down. However its operator, who is not a registered tradition surgeon, reopened it.
Nkohli said the police have cast their nets wide in search of the culprit.
“The suspect is known and is at large as police are looking for him so that he can be arrested for unlawful circumcision and murder,” said Nkohli.
Deaths across seasons
Deaths of initiates were also reported in the last summer initiation season in the Eastern Cape. In January alone, at least 20 initiates died of causes including dehydration and underlying health co-morbidities.
In the current season, majority of deaths have been reported in the province’s district of OR Tambo.
The winter initiation season does not provide any reprieve. On July 22, Eastern Cape’s department for cooperative governance and traditional affairs announced the deaths of 20 initiates. And the figure was not final as it was before the end of the initiation season.
