3 Initiates Pass Away at Eastern Cape Initiation School, Mzansi Mourns Loss of Young Life

- Three initiates were found dead in the Eastern Cape with gunshot wounds

- The reason for the murders is unknown and a task team is being established to invesitigate

- This brings the total number of deaths to ten this season

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Three bodies have been discovered at an initiation school at Tsomo in the Eastern Cape. Two of the men were aged 20 and one was 19.

The bodies were found with gunshot wounds. Young boys alerted the elders to the grizzly discovery when they delivered food to the initiates.

This season has seen ten initiates die. The reason for these latest deaths is unknown according to Traditional Affairs Department spokesperson Mamnkeli Ngam.

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He revealed that the provincial commissioner has ordered that a task team be established within the next three days to investigate.

MEC of the Traditional AffairsDepartment Xolile Nqata has sent the grieving families condolences and asked the community to make sure that the initiates safety is always ensured.

Earlier, Briefly.co.za reported that traditional leaders have been pushing for the reopening of initiation schools in South Africa. Initiation schools were closed in winter due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the initiation season coming closer, traditional leaders have said that the government needs to reconsider its decision to close the cultural practice.

Contralesa President, Kgosi Mathupa Mokoena says: "Those who are going to be allowed, let them cooperate with government in terms of social distancing, masks and so on."

Mokoena says that if they have less initiates it is okay because this is about culture and not about making money.

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In other news, Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini has welcomed back hundreds of Kokstad initiates who completed their transition into manhood.

After their journey into the mountains as part of the cultural practice, Zwelithini had welcomed back the KZN residents, thankful that a collaboration with the state had ensured the safety of those who took part.

During his address at the uLwaluko Homecoming Ceremony over the weekend, the Zulu monarch called for an end to gender-based violence:

“From the beginning of this month, everyone, wherever he is, must, when he meets with a woman, protect her instead of thinking of sleeping with her and later kill her. No one should look at her and think he must sleep with her. The best respect a man can do for a woman is protect her and escort her home safely. From now onwards in the Zulu kingdom, the killing of one another must come to an end."

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Source: Briefly News