The death toll from this summer’s initiation season in the Eastern Cape has risen to 17.
Authorities said, amid reports of difficult conditions at initiation schools. Survivors described hunger, extreme physical exertion, and threats from armed criminals targeting boys carrying supplies to the camps.,Dehydration and negligence are cited as the main causes.
Survivors this season reported going without sufficient food while attending camps in rural areas, and said some boys were exposed to criminal activity when transporting provisions.
In response, the CoGTA department is conducting urgent oversight visits across the province this week. The visits aim to assess conditions at initiation schools and engage traditional leaders, practitioners, law enforcement, and local government on plans moving forward.
The Kwanobuhle Initiation Task Team, a group made up of traditional leaders, health officials, the South African Police Service SAPS, religious leaders, and taxi industry representatives, visited multiple hotspot areas to assess conditions at initiation sites. Authorities said the task team is coordinating monitoring efforts and providing support to ensure safety during the season.
Police confirmed that 24 suspects had been arrested in connection with the deaths of initiates. Reports indicated that armed groups have targeted boys transporting food and water to camps, sometimes at gunpoint, contributing to the risk of injury and death.
Health officials and community monitors have been deployed to provide oversight and support, including access to medical attention and safe transport for supplies. Families were encouraged to report unsafe conditions to local authorities and traditional leaders.
Initiation, or ulwaluko in Xhosa tradition, marks the transition from boyhood to manhood. Boys leave home for several weeks to undergo traditional rites intended to teach cultural values.
