Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) president Kgosi Mathupa Mokoena has raised serious concerns about the safety of initiation schools in the Eastern Cape, calling for a two-year moratorium to address persistent challenges.
“We are worried about what is happening at our initiation schools, especially in the summer season. It is disappointing that we have lost some initiates. That was not what we planned as traditional leadership, particularly in the Eastern Cape,” said Mokoena.
He was speaking ahead of the 2025 summer initiation season, which began on November 1 and will run until January 31 2026. The season is expected to see a significant increase in participants, with officials anticipating numbers doubling compared to the 11,193 boys who underwent initiation during the 2025 winter season.
During the winter season 9,741 initiates were medically screened, and legal and illegal schools were monitored covering 10,411 initiates.
Between 2016 and 2024, 371 initiates died and 110 underwent penile amputations in the province, highlighting ongoing safety concerns.
Generally things are going very well and I’m happy our colleagues are trying to get things back to normal — but illegal schools remain a huge challenge
— Kgosi Mathupa Mokoena, Contralesa president
Mokoena is advocating for a two-year pause to reassess safety protocols and enforce stricter monitoring.
“It is embarrassing that every initiation season we are complaining about the same issues. Let’s have a moratorium on initiation schools in the Eastern Cape. That will give us a chance to sit down with all stakeholders and see what we can do to salvage the situation,” he said.
In the Eastern Cape, 60,229 initiates were registered for the 2024 winter and summer seasons. A total of 43 of the young men died, with 14 deaths occurring during the winter season alone. Nine of the winter deaths involved initiates attending illegal schools. Most occurred in the Buffalo City and and Nelson Mandela Bay metros and the OR Tambo, Alfred Nzo and Amathole district municipalities.
While other provinces have reportedly seen improvements, Mokoena expressed frustration over illegal initiation schools in the Eastern Cape.
“The schools can’t be monitored because some owners don’t reveal their locations. They only come to us when there is arnage. Generally things are going very well and I’m happy our colleagues are trying to get things back to normal — but illegal schools remain a huge challenge.”
A total of 59 criminal cases have been opened and 70 people arrested in the Eastern Cape in connection with illegal initiation activities during the 2025 winter season, which saw 11 initiates lose their lives
Extraordinary measures are needed to deter people from operating illegal schools, he said.
“I am convinced if we have a moratorium for about two years we can stop all schools until we get things right.”
While efforts are under way to clean up the system and ensure only trained and experienced traditional surgeons operate schools, Mokoena criticised the appointment of some young traditional surgeons.
“Embarrassingly, some are as young as 25. In our culture you cannot have someone that young running a school. It’s not acceptable.”
A total of 59 criminal cases have been opened and 70 people arrested in the Eastern Cape in connection with illegal initiation activities during the 2025 winter season, which saw 11 initiates lose their lives.
“As Contralesa we are saying let’s bring all stakeholders together. As long as there are those running schools privately and being supported, we are not going to get this right. After consulting our leaders in the Eastern Cape, we all agree a two-year moratorium is needed to properly address the situation.”
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