Five initiates have died in the Eastern Cape since the beginning of the summer initiation season in November.
This was announced this week by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Zolile Williams.
The initiates died from various causes including dehydration, complications related to underage circumcision, underlying health comorbidities and diabetes.
One initiate died in the Buffalo City Metro from diabetes, two died in OR Tambo District municipality from dehydration and underage complications.
One died in Chris Hani District municipality due to comorbidities and one in Alfred Nzo District from unmentioned causes.
No initiate deaths have been reported so far from the other two regions namely the Nelson Mandela Metro and Joe Gqabi District Municipality.
Williams revealed that the initiate who died from diabetes in Buffalo City Metro, was warned against undergoing the rite but his family insisted.
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He warned parents to take the advice of experts and to not bow down to peer pressure from other parents sending their boys to the initiation schools.
“Parents get pressurised into taking a child to an initiation school. So you are definitely going to confront challenges in those instances. Parents must ensure that they adhere to the screening advice by the doctors,” said Williams.
Before boys go to the mountain, they have to produce a medical certificate from a doctor giving them a clean bill of health to undergo the rite of passage to manhood.
Initiates get tested for a range of health complications, including sexually transmitted diseases and diabetes.
Reacting to the five deaths, Williams said:
Williams recently handed over new double-cab vehicles to the stewards of the tradition in order to increase visibility at initiation schools and help prevent deaths.
Chairperson of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders, Chief Mpumalanga Gwadiso said committees of traditional leaders assigned to oversee the rite need to visit the death hotspot areas.
