30 Eastern Cape Initiates Dead After Going to Mountains, Mzansi Outraged Over Young Lives Lost

• Eastern Cape initiates did not make it through the common traditional practice in the summer months
• The provincial Traditional Affairs department tells it the mortality rates of initiation schools in the Eastern Cape
• South Africans discussed the practice, and many were divided over the call to get rid of initiation school

Young men lost their lives after going to initiation in the Eastern Cape. The provincial Traditional Affairs department reported an alarming amount of young people who died.

The summer initiation season ended in some tragedies. Officials came out with reports of how many young men did not survive.

Eastern Cape initiates die

Eastern Cape initiates died while having their initiation. eNCA reported that the provincial traditional affairs department. The Cultural Religious and Linguistic Rights Commission admitted a growing crisis, and they plan to address it.

Read also

10 die in Eastern Cape car crashes over 12 hours, including pedestrians, SA distraught by soaring death toll

Why are eastern Cape initiates dying?

According to the rights commission, the initiation schools disregard the law. The commission also said they take issue with the practice of initiation and have vowed to take action to end the deaths of initiates.

SA enraged by initiates deaths

People shared their opinions about the cultural practice. Netizens were divided on the issue.

Mark Wren said:

"Culture is a valuable part of people's heritage, however, this number of deaths is unacceptable. Surely the ones performing these rites should be medically trained?"

Onkgopotse BullDozer Seakgoe wrote: ·

"Close all initiation schools please, we can't have young boys dying in the name of being taught how to be a real man."

Naphiri Jizzell Naphiri argued:

"Why don't they just get circumcised in Hospitals? They are not even different from men who got circumcised in Hospitals!! Arrest the parents who send their children there and arrest whoever has the "duty" to circumcise those boys!"

Read also

Transport Minister Sindiswe Chikunga revealed that 719 people died on the road since the festive season began

McDonald Magwiro added:

"Go and arrest the leaders of this nonsense , we can not lose lives in the name of culture."

MamaKamo Mkhulise agreed:

"30, this is way out of hand. Sad story indeed."

3 Teenagers trapped in hut burn to death during illegal initiation

Briefly News previously reported that three initiates burnt to death when they failed to escape their hut after it caught fire in Buffalo City, Eastern Cape, on Tuesday, 20 June.

The details are still unclear, but it is said that the fire started outside. The initiates were 17 years old.

Provincial Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs spokesperson Mamnkeli Ngam told DispatchLIVE that condolences have been sent to the three 17-year-olds' homes:

Source: Briefly News