Illegal Circumcisions Linked to Initiation Deaths in Eastern Cape

Twenty Initiates Die During Eastern Cape Summer Initiation Season

Twenty young men have died since the start of the Eastern Cape’s summer traditional initiation season, raising renewed concern over safety, illegal circumcisions, and compliance with the law governing customary initiation practices.

The summer initiation season officially began on 14 November, with provincial authorities declaring readiness following extensive preparations. However, despite these measures, fatalities continue to be reported across multiple districts.

Eastern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Zolile Williams, confirmed that the O.R. Tambo District recorded the highest number of deaths, with seven initiates losing their lives. This was followed by the Amathole District, where five deaths were recorded during the same period.

Government Expresses Condolences

Williams expressed condolences to the affected families, acknowledging the tragedy of lives lost during what is considered a sacred cultural rite.

“On behalf of government, I wish to express my deepest condolences to the families of the boys who lost their lives. Indeed, we bemoan the untimely death of these boys, especially at the hands of those who had to guide them through one of the most sacred journeys of their lives,” he said.

Legal Framework and Preparations

The MEC stated that the provincial government had taken steps to ensure compliance with the Customary Initiation Act, Act No. 2 of 2021, and the Eastern Cape Customary Male Initiation Practice Act, Act No. 5 of 2016.

As part of the preparation process, pre-medical examinations were conducted on 34 823 boys before they were allowed to enter initiation schools. Following these assessments, the Provincial Initiation Task Team (PITT) declared the Eastern Cape ready for the summer Ulwaluko season.

Monitoring efforts were implemented across the province, with approximately 27 430 initiates tracked using 55 vehicles deployed for oversight and inspection.

Despite these measures, Williams acknowledged that losses continued to occur.

“It is unfortunate that, despite awareness and advocacy initiatives to train iingcibi and amakhankatha towards a death- and injury-free season, the province continues to experience losses of this magnitude,” he said.

Legal and Illegal Circumcisions

Of the 20 reported deaths, Williams revealed that at least 13 initiates were circumcised legally, while seven were circumcised illegally.

The causes of death varied. One initiate was reportedly struck by lightning, another drowned, and one died by suicide. Other fatalities were attributed to natural causes and dehydration.

The MEC further disclosed that the festive season began with the arrest of a 17-year-old boy from the O.R. Tambo District who was allegedly conducting illegal circumcisions on underage children.

According to hospital statistics, two parents were arrested for taking their children to an illegal initiation school, along with 18 illegal traditional surgeons, known as iingcibi.

Concerns from Traditional Leadership

Traditional leader Nkosi Gwazinamba Matanzima also raised concerns about the practice, particularly in the O.R. Tambo District. He stated that some communities had adopted the tradition under pressure.

He said this had resulted in underage children practising circumcision on one another, while older men distanced themselves from the practice.

Calls for Medical Circumcision

Government has acknowledged growing calls from various sectors of society to introduce medical circumcision as an alternative to traditional initiation practices.

Authorities recognise that these calls are driven by the urgent need to protect lives.

“As a government, we will continue tackling this challenge with all stakeholders, and collectively, we will work towards resolving it in the interest of lives and protecting the values and traditions across different groups of society,” Williams said.

Rising Illegal Circumcisions

Williams noted with concern that illegal circumcisions continue to rise, undermining efforts to achieve an incident-free initiation season.

“To date, 421 young boys were circumcised illegally. We also know that 187 initiates are in hospital, while 3 827 were treated on site, with one amputation,” he said.

The MEC urged parents to remain vigilant and take responsibility during the initiation period.

He added that stronger community involvement was needed, particularly to support single female parents, and that swift action must be taken when complications are identified.

Law Enforcement Action

The South African Police Service has recorded 51 cases linked to initiation-related incidents since the start of the season. One of these cases is a murder investigation.

Thus far, 41 people have been arrested, including traditional surgeons and traditional nurses.

The provincial government has stated that it is relying on the criminal justice system to process those arrested thoroughly, with the aim of deterring future violations.

Balancing Tradition and Safety

In concluding his briefing, Williams acknowledged that many traditional initiation schools operate responsibly and contribute positively to community development.

“While we note the sad passing of these boys, we ought to acknowledge that in our communities, we also have traditional male circumcision schools that are doing great work in moulding boys into men in a healthy and safe environment,” he said.

However, he cautioned that praising individual schools could unintentionally overwhelm them, citing an example where a school with only two guardians received 98 initiates after public commendation.

Williams said government would need to explore modernisation practices and work closely with the Department of Health to ensure adequate resources and oversight.

“These centres must serve as a model of how traditional male circumcision can be practised and protected in modern-day society. Working together with communities and traditional leaders, we will continue to advance the right to life for young men and create a safe and incident-free traditional rite of passage,” he said.