Eastern Cape boy dies at an initiation school, marking the first initiates death recorded in the region

Since the 2022 summer initiation season began on November 4, the Eastern Cape has reported the first initiate death. Nkosi Mpumalanga Gwadiso, the chair of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders, verified the death of the Mdantsane initiate. Gwadiso stated, “We are currently looking into allegations that the deceased’s parents pushed the youngster to be circumcised despite medical professionals declaring him medically unsuitable.”

According to MEC for cooperative governance Zolile Williams, some medical professionals and nurses did not thoroughly examine potential applicants. According to Williams, The fatalities and injuries of initiates are a result of medical professionals’ ignorance.  He said “the authorities will take action against those doctors.”

At the 16 Days of Activism campaign’s Centane launch on Saturday, police provincial commissioner Lt. Gen. Nomthetheleli Mene said:

So many young lives have been lost… So many young men have been abused and have lost their manhood. Instead of celebrating initiates becoming men, we count their deaths every season.

“It is a sad truth that the Eastern Cape is the most impacted province as far as the abuse of initiates is concerned,” said Vuyo Stofile, senior manager of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders. Prior to initiation, he advised parents to make sure their sons were in good physical and mental health. The head of the BCM Traditionalry Surgeon Association, Andile Siko, published a Facebook plea pleading with men to make the tradition safer.