Initiation disaster in the Eastern Cape

By: Ayabonga Nkalitshana

The Eastern Cape has a recorded number of 42 initiates who lost their lives during the initiation season. This is an increase from the 28 number of deaths recorded in the initiation summer of 2014 which raises concerns about the practice and regulation of the initiation custom. The manager of initiation at the department of health has confirmed that most of these deaths were caused by dehydration especially in the Chris Hani district.

The Chris Hani district boasts of more deaths in the province than any other region with 16 initiates who lost their lives during the initiation season. Chief Ngangomhlaba Matanzima said “We prayed for zero deaths, but instead we lost 42 young lives through a custom that should not kill. All these deaths could have been prevented if we had vigilant traditional nurses and maximum participation by parents. Traditional leaders and communities must understand that initiation is a societal matter,”

Despite these shocking revelations more than 30 000 initiates returned home healthy as the initiation draws to a close with academic institutions and schools reopen on Wednesday the 13^th of January.