Nine boys die in Eastern Cape as illegal initiation schools sparks concern

The deaths of nine boys at initiation schools in the Eastern Cape has raised concern as Parliament continue to conduct oversight visits in the province.

Since the start of the initiation season on 17 June, nine boys have died.

The deaths were accounted for at initiation schools in the King Sabatha Dalindyebo, Mhlontlo and Ngquza Hill local municipalities.

The National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has since called the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to prioritise the prosecution of cases relating to illegal initiation schools.

“The committee is appealing to the NPA to ensure that those who break regulations on initiation face the might of the law.

ALSO READ: Dying to become men: Initiation deaths continue despite government intervention

“Furthermore, the committee wants the parents of illegal initiates to be under the spotlight of the law enforcement agencies to ensure that they too face consequences for their role,” the committee’s chairperson, Fikile Xasa said in a statement on Thursday.

Xasa said the committee’s primary concern was the health and well-being of the initiates as well as the prevention of further deaths.

“The committee was informed that in the outskirts of Mhlontlo Municipality people are unable to access the facilities as a result there is occurrence of death of initiates.

“The total number of deaths of initiates that has been verified and confirmed is nine. In the Mhlontlo Local Municipality six initiates have died, in the King Sabatha Dalindyebo Local Municipality two initiates have died and one died in Ngquza Hill Local Municipality,” he said.

Customary Initiation Act

The committee previously revealed that there were 66 legal initiation schools while 68 others were operating illegally in the OR Tambo District Municipality alone.

“The committee was also informed that the closure of illegal initiation schools was complicated by the fact that there are no hospital beds available for the initiates that are rescued from these illegal schools and that the erstwhile rescue centres are no longer operational due to the Covid-19 pandemic and depletion of resources,” Xasa pointed out on Wednesday.

“The Customary Initiation Act is clear on what action needs to be taken against illegal schools. They have to be closed down and the committee expects traditional surgeons and nurses who are part of these illegal schools to be arrested and charged.

READ MORE: Xhosa initiation has its place

“The committee is clear that law enforcement agencies should not tolerate any lawless behaviour from communities that protect illegal traditional surgeons and nurses,” the committee chair added.

In addition, the police have made eight arrests and opened 21 cases for the current season.

Approximately 31 boys died in the Eastern Cape during the summer initiation season, which run from December 2021 until 12 January 2022.

At the time, the Eastern Cape government insisted that it had done everything it could to prevent such incidents, and shifted the blame for the deaths to the victims’ parents.

Limpopo death

Meanwhile, an eight-year-old boy, who died days after his admission to an initiation school in Modjadjiskloof, Limpopo, was buried last Sunday.

The boy, Thabang Sedutla of Makhurupetsa Village was enrolled at a Sepatake Koma school in the Modjadjiskloof area of Bolobedu with the consent of his parents.

Sedutla supposedly developed breathing complications and died a few days later at the Kgapane Hospital.

ALSO READ: Family of 8-year-old boy who died at initiation school to get house – MEC

However, the initiation school where Sedutla died is still operating, despite promises by the Limpopo government to shut it down. 

Limpopo MEC for cooperative governance, human settlement and traditional affairs, Basikopo Makamu and his entourage visited the bereaved family and promised that his department would build them a house and he will work closely with the Mopani municipality to build them a toilet.

*Compiled by Molefe Seeletsa, additional reporting by Alex Japho Matlala