Funding cuts to critical health programmes are being linked to a worsening crisis during the Eastern Cape’s initiation season as the number of initiates who have died in the province continues to rise.
The withdrawal of funding from the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) has had far-reaching consequences for community-based health interventions, with government warning the cuts are indirectly contributing to preventable deaths during the summer initiation season.
Speaking to eNCA, deputy cooperative governance and traditional affairs minister Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe confirmed the number of initiates who have died in the Eastern Cape has increased from 15 to 17.
While dehydration, negligence and poor monitoring at initiation schools remain the leading causes of death, Burns-Ncamashe said broader geopolitical developments, including the withdrawal of donor funding, have weakened the support systems that previously helped prevent fatalities.
“The deaths of initiates point to the level of crisis we are facing in the middle of the initiation season,” Burns-Ncamashe said. “We used to have an NGO called Right to Care, which largely relied on Pepfar support. That support has been withdrawn, and as a result the organisation has been forced to scale down its operations.”
The withdrawal of Pepfar funding, which began impacting programmes in early 2025, has triggered a broader health crisis in South Africa
Right to Care has historically played a crucial role in promoting safe initiation practices through health screenings, community education and on-the-ground monitoring, particularly in rural areas. The reduction in its capacity has left significant gaps in oversight and preventative health care during the initiation period.
The withdrawal of Pepfar funding, which began impacting programmes in early 2025, has triggered a broader health crisis in South Africa. Hundreds of millions in funding have been cut, resulting in:
- thousands of job losses among health-care workers;
- the closure of clinics;
- major disruptions to HIV testing, treatment and prevention services, including pre-exposure prophylaxis; and
- millions of people being at increased risk.
In the Eastern Cape, the disruptions are being felt beyond the HIV sector, with reduced community level health interventions affecting vulnerable groups, including initiates. The rising death toll has sparked serious concern among government departments, traditional leadership structures, families and communities, particularly as the summer initiation season continues.
The Eastern Cape provincial government is expected to provide a comprehensive update on Monday on the state of the ongoing initiation season. The briefing will outline:
- the number of initiates in initiation schools;
- reported deaths; and
- complications and interventions being implemented to ensure a safer and more closely monitored season.
TimesLIVE
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