41 Die in South Africa After Circumcision ‘Initiation’
Xhosa boys stand in a field during traditional Xhosa male circumcision ceremonies into manhood in Qunu, South Africa, on Saturday, June 30, 2013. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam, File)
At least 41 young men have died following circumcision procedures linked to traditional initiation rites in South Africa during November and December, authorities said Tuesday.
Traditional initiation is an annual rite of passage into manhood practiced by several ethnic groups across South Africa, including the Xhosa, Ndebele, Sotho, and Venda communities. As part of the custom, young men attend initiation schools where they are isolated for a period and taught cultural values, responsibilities, and expectations of adulthood. Circumcision is a central component of the process.
Each year, however, the circumcision stage results in multiple deaths, prompting ongoing government intervention. South African law requires initiation schools to be registered and to comply with health and safety standards, but illegal schools continue to operate and account for many of the fatalities, according to the Associated Press.
Parents typically pay fees for their children to attend initiation schools for the prescribed duration. Authorities say the financial incentive has led some individuals to open unregistered schools. Initiation seasons usually take place during winter (June–July) and summer (November–December) school holidays.
Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa told local broadcasters on Tuesday that 41 initiates died during this year’s summer initiation season. He attributed the deaths to negligence by both initiation schools—including some registered facilities—and parents who failed to ensure proper safety measures were followed.
Hlabisa said some initiation schools continue to give dangerous and unproven advice, such as instructing initiates to avoid drinking water in the belief that it speeds healing.
“There is negligence in terms of meeting health standards in some of the initiation schools,” Hlabisa said. “If you take your child to an initiation school and you never follow up or monitor whether the child is receiving proper care, you are placing that child at risk.”
The Eastern Cape province has been identified as the hardest-hit area, with 21 deaths reported so far. Authorities have arrested 41 people in connection with illegal initiation schools, including parents who allegedly provided false ages for their children to gain admission. Under South African law, only boys aged 16 and older may attend initiation schools, and only with parental consent.
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