The deaths of initiates have become an unfortunate feature of the initiation school season. At least 12 young men have lost their lives at initiation schools in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng during the June/July winter initiation season. 

Eastern Cape cooperative governance and traditional affairs (CoGTA) spokesperson, Pheello Oliphant says dehydration, beatings, negligence and lack of knowledge by some traditional surgeons (persons performing circumcisions) are the main causes of death in initiation schools.

The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces which records high numbers of deaths among initiates yearly. This customary rite of passage is shrouded in mystery. Some reports have estimated more than 900 initiates have died in the province between 2006 and 2022. 

In last year’s summer initiation season in December, the province recorded 34 deaths of initiates. In this year’s winter initiation season which ran over the June/July school holidays, 10 deaths have been reported in the Eastern Cape. 

Oliphant says eight of the EC initiates died from illegal schools run by unregistered practitioners which are characterised by malpractices and violations of the rights of initiates.  

Causes of death among initiates

Oliphant explains that dehydration is the main cause of death among initiates. 

“The initiates are deprived of water and then they die from dehydration,” he says. 

A graduate who asked to remain anonymous told Health-e News that initiates are barred from drinking water so that they can heal faster after the circumcision. 

“I can’t go into detail too much, but during the first 10 days we are not allowed to drink water regularly. Remember, after drinking water you have to pee, so you can’t pee too often if you want to heal faster.” 

When our bodies don’t get enough fluid it can cause kidney failure. 

Oliphant adds that three initiates in the EC died after the initiation process was conducted by a 19-year-old man who graduated from the initiation school in December. 

“According to the law only a person who is 40 years old and above can be an ingcibi (traditional surgeon). In addition, the person should have undergone the initiation process about eight years back,” he says. 

Oliphant says beatings are also a major cause of death, because the initiates get beaten by men who visit the schools. 

“The beatings by the men who visit the initiation schools under the pretext of teaching them manhood and taking them through the rite of passage to manhood are severe, and often lead to injuries that are not well taken care of.”

He says the severe bleeding that the initiates endure after being beaten also puts them at greater risk of death. 

Oliphant says some of the traditional surgeons are also negligent. He describes the initiation process as similar to a patient in a hospital ward. 

“When you are at the initiation school, you are the same as a patient in the hospital. If the nurses in the hospital neglect you while you are in the ward, you may die. ” 

He adds that some initiates are not medically screened by doctors before going to the initiation schools, to ensure that they are fit to withstand the environment in the initiation school. 

COGTA EC interventions to curb initiate deaths 

Before the initiation season, COGTA and the House of Traditional Leaders in the EC conducted an awareness campaign about how to spot illegal schools, and the cultural importance of the initiation schools.

Despite these interventions, the mushrooming of illegal schools continues. 

“There are hooligans who steal these children from their homes and by the time parents learn about the disappearance [abduction] of the child, the child is already dead,” says Oliphant. 

A 2021 study by the Commission for Gender Equality also identified illegal schools as a major problem in the EC. 

The study says the illegal initiation schools violate the Application of Health Standards in Traditional Circumcision Act. The Act stipulates that initiates must be older than 16. Before taking the children to initiation school, the parents must sign a consent form. The initiate must also be properly examined by a medical doctor before and during the initiation period.

Gaps in implementation

To reduce the spread of illegal schools, Oliphant says CoGTA  is working with the police to ensure that these illegal schools are closed and the owners are arrested. Even though the police work hard to arrest the illegal surgeons, Oliphant says the South African laws are not strict enough. 

“That’s why these transgressors become repeat offenders. You find that someone who initiated a child last year, repeats this year due to insufficient evidence before the magistrate court,” says Oliphant. 

At times, some parents do not want to come to testify against the owners of those illegal schools. 

“Initiation schools as a custom isn’t  a problem. But it is spoiled by the hooligans that steal the children to extort money from their parents.” 

Possible solutions

One province that’s seen a drastic reduction in deaths of initiates is Mpumalanga. In 2022/2023 Mpumalanga recorded 17 deaths of initiates and saw a massive decrease in 2023/24 with only three fatalities.  

According to the Head of Communications for CoGTA, Lindiwe Msibi, the province managed to curb the death rates through the Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee (PICC) introduced in 2021. 

Msibi says the committee implemented several strategies which include increasing the number of monitors and supervisors at initiation schools to ensure that traditional practices are done in a safe and controlled manner.

The committee also embarked on education and awareness programmes to educate the community about initiations. “Public awareness campaigns have been launched to educate parents, initiates, and the community about the dangers of initiation schools and the importance of seeking medical attention if any initiate shows signs of distress.” 

“The committee has established a regulatory framework for initiation schools, including licensing, registration, and regular inspections to ensure that they meet minimum standards of safety and hygiene.”

Msibi says the committee has also collaborated with the Department of Health to ensure that the initiates are properly checked before and during the initiation period.

“Through the help of the Department of Health, emergency response teams have been set up to provide medical assistance to initiates who may be injured or ill during the initiation process. The health department also provides medical services, conducts health education, and monitors the health status of initiates.”

The committee also works closely with traditional leaders and parents to educate them about the importance of prioritising the safety and well-being of initiates during the initiation process. 

“To safeguard the well-being of the initiates, parents take a proactive approach, adhering to the Customary Initiation Act (CIA) guidelines, to conduct regular medical check-ups and address any health concerns promptly. This vigilant approach not only enables early identification and treatment of potential health issues but also instills a sense of security and trust among the initiates,” says Msibi. 

In addition, there are task team members in the province who have availed themselves 24 hours  for people to report any incidents or concerns related to initiation schools.

COGTA is also working closely with the police in the province to ensure that all the illegal schools are closed and those that run those schools are brought before the law. 

“Last year (2023)  we were able to close 11 illegal initiation schools, which is a major success in our fight to zero death of initiates.” – Health-e News