The Eastern Cape winter initiation season death toll has risen to four, with more than 30 initiates, mostly school boys, rescued in one area.
Of the four recorded deaths, three emanated from illegal schools.
According to the provincial Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Zolile Williams, he had to close a bogus initiation school in Mount Ayliff under the Mzimvubu Local Municipality and 33 initiates were rescued.
“The 33 initiates, most of them schoolboys from the small town of Mount Ayliff, had undergone the circumcision ritual without the consent or knowledge of their parents. The initiates did not have proper documentation required before undergoing the rite of passage in terms of the legislation. After the closure, some of the initiates were rushed to nearby hospitals and others were sent back home to their parents. All of them did not have screening results from the doctors. The culprits who circumcised the boys illegally have been arrested by the police,” said Williams.
He also noted that the traditional surgeons did not have certificates, traditional nurses did not have certificates and the municipality did not approve the use of the field for the initiation ritual.
Williams said the season officially kicked off last month with a good start until the recent incidents and deaths.
“What is happening is totally unacceptable, illegal and shows no regard to life. We appeal to communities to help stem the tide of hoodlums who abduct schoolboys and initiate them without the knowledge and consent of their parents. Many initiates’ deaths which can be avoided are caused by these illegalities. Four deaths have been recorded in the province since the start of the winter season of initiation and most happened at illegal schools,” he said.
Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) said the deaths were reported in the Port St Johns and Mthatha area.
“In a village in the Port St Johns area... an initiate was dehydrated and by the time they took him to a health facility he was already struggling to breathe and so he died. A traditional surgeon as well as two traditional nurses were arrested with the help of traditional leaders in that area. The Mthatha incident happened at another bogus school in a village outside Mthatha,” said Contralesa general secretary Zolani Mkiva.
He said a lot of education was being done even through local radio stations but it was not easy to conduct inspections in all villages as some were difficult to access due to lack of roads and other areas were vast and far apart.
He said harsh sentences for offenders would send a strong message in efforts to curb bogus schools.
Cape Times