More than 700 initiates have died in the past 10 years in Eastern Cape, according to the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities.
The rising death toll has since triggered ActionSA to call for better oversight. In November 2022 alone, 34 deaths were reported in the province’s initiation schools.
Athol Trollip, ActionSA leader in Eastern Cape, said his party appreciates the promotion of cultural diversity, however, it is concerned that the death toll is on the rise.
“Our cultural and religious customs are a part and parcel of who we are, because we attribute specific important meanings to them,” Trollip said.
“One of these customs is the rite of passage for young men [ukwaluko], the highlight of which is process-related to circumcision of young males. Although practised throughout the country, the Eastern Cape always grabs headlines due to the alarming number of deaths of initiates emanating from the initiation schools in the province.”
He said numerous reasons have been cited as the cause for deaths at initiation schools, including dehydration, underlying health comorbidities, diabetes and other chronic health conditions.
“It is common knowledge that the bulk of the deaths occur because of illegal initiation schools run by opportunistic, inexperienced, unqualified and unsupervised individuals who are responsible for the actual circumcision, post-procedural care, and overall parental or familial oversight.
“Given the continued unnecessary and tragic loss of lives of young males in the prime of their lives at these schools, ActionSA believes the responsibility of overseeing this tradition and preventing any loss of life should be better shared by the provincial health department, the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders, law-enforcement agencies and all the stakeholders including families of aspirant initiates.”
Trollip added that a collaborative effort between stakeholders would bring an end to “these unnecessary deaths”.
He explained further: “The situation has reached a point where sensibility to cultural circumcisions should be done under the supervision of recognised traditional authorities, but physically administered by suitably qualified and registered health professionals, as they can detect any potentially life-threatening medical issues that may make the circumcision unsafe.
“Circumcisions should be carried out in appropriately sanitised facilities that are safe for such procedures.
“Monitoring of initiation schools should not be brought on by loss of lives, it should happen from the very beginning of every initiation season and the traditional authorities, the relevant provincial departments and the families of young men who want to be initiated should take responsibility for ensuring that such passage to manhood is done under their strict control, so that when this is done, the loss of life is the exception not the rule.”
ActionSA also urged the Eastern Cape provincial government to improve measures to stop the unnecessary loss of lives during the initiation season.
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