Assault, dehydration, septicaemia: why initiates died in the Eastern Cape

Twenty-nine young men died, two underwent penile amputations and 147 were admitted to hospital during the summer initiation season in the Eastern Cape.

Assault, dehydration and septicaemia were among the preventable reasons for the fatalities outlined in a report by the provincial initiation co-ordinating committee to parliament's portfolio committee on co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) on Tuesday.

There were 371 initiation-related deaths and 110 amputations recorded in the province between 2016 and 2024 — figures described during the briefing as “ghastly”. Some of the cases were concluded and the perpetrators sentenced to between six and 15 years for murder, illegal circumcision and assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm. But the majority of cases are still pending and some have been withdrawn.  

The parliamentary committee conducted an oversight visit to assess initiation practices in the province in December.

The initiation committee also briefed parliament about an illegal initiation hut where an initiate was found dead last year in Tsolo. Police were summoned and the traditional surgeon was arrested on the spot.

Parliament also heard about “underlying challenges causing amaKhosi to feel no sense of ownership in relation to local and district initiation forums”. 

“The rift between the senior traditional leaders and headmen in relation to involvement in customary male initiation started with the promulgation of [the] Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act. The act, according to the headmen, excluded their membership from both provincial and local houses of traditional and Khoi-San leaders,” read the initiation committee's report.

“The headmen alleged that during the initiation seasons, members of both the local and provincial houses attend to initiation programmes. They are paid a sitting and travelling allowance whereas the headmen do not get any remuneration. This is a challenge across the province and not unique to Alfred Nzo.” 

The initiation co-ordination committee said “as a result” the “headmen decided not to be part of the programme”. 

“There is no misaligned relations between the traditional leaders and the Alfred Nzo district initiation forum because the senior traditional leaders are part of the local initiation forums in their areas of jurisdiction, the only challenge is the non-involvement of headmen,” it read.

The initiation co-ordination committee said its report “highlights the lack of progress in finalising the criminal cases relating to customary male initiation”.  

“The justice cluster within the provincial initiation technical task team has resolved to treat initiation cases as priority cases. This will address the delay in processing of the cases.

“During the advocacy the victims of initiation cases will be implored not to withdraw the cases. To address the challenge of deaths within the first two weeks of undergoing the practice due to dehydration, the pre-screening teams will assess the levels of dehydration of the prospective initiates before granting them an approval. 

“The report also indicates that there is still a challenge of illegal schools where illegal traditional surgeons conduct illegal circumcisions. During the advocacy parents will be advised to make use of credible traditional surgeons with a database being available in screening centres.” 

The initiation co-ordination committee said the “criminal justice cluster will speed up cases of illegal initiation to secure convictions. This will send a message to prospective transgressors.”