Eastern Cape Cogta calls for intervention of communities and police assistance after death of five initiates

The Eastern Cape Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has called for local communities and police intervention following the death of five initiates in this year’s summer initiation season.

It has been reported that five initiates have died in the Eastern Cape since the start of the summer initiation season.

One of the initiates is believed to have died after his parents negligence and decision to ignore the underlying co-morbidities detected during pre-screening.

According to Cogta, the four other initiates died as a result of dehydration and complications related to them being underage.

Speaking to Newzroom Africa, Pheello Oliphant, Cogta Eastern Cape spokesperson, said that they have asked for police assistance in clamping down of the illegal initiation schools.

There seems to be a high level of negligence on the side of the parents, and this is a great concern for the communities in the Eastern Cape.

“We are asking the police to help clamp down on the culprits that advertise the illegal circumcision of the young boys.

“This is a concerning issue for the Cogta MEC and the community of the Eastern Cape at large and what is happening is that we run campaigns and awarenesses throughout the process around the province. Communities are inviting the department to help us to prevent these problems that we are experiencing at the moment,” Oliphant said.

Oliphant said that one important aspect involving the circumcision process is that parents should be involved in checking on the wellness and the safety of their children.

Oliphant added that, “For example the issue of initiates who have died as a result of underlying co-morbidities detected during pre-screening being ignored by the parents, it is the parents who were reluctant to take their kids to the initiation school but they were advised by certain people in the community who wanted to make money out of this process; unfortunately it lead to a death of an initiate”.

Oliphant also placed blame on the community for failing to handle the process in a mature way.

He claimed that young kids are forced to go to initiation schools and because of peer pressure in communities and the families of the boys.

“As the result of peer pressure some of these young boys end up going to illegal schools before the right age. The legal age is 18 for them to be allowed to go to the initiation school,” he said.