Seventeen Initiates Die in the Eastern Cape During Current Initiation Season
- Seventeen initiates have died in the O.R. Tambo District in the Eastern Cape during the ongoing initiation season
- The deaths have been linked to illegal initiation schools, with causes including dehydration, negligence, and assault
- Government officials have launched oversight interventions to prevent further loss of life
Source: UGC
Seventeen initiates have died in the O.R. Tambo District in the Eastern Cape during the ongoing initiation season.The deaths are reportedly linked to six illegal initiation schools operating in the area.
According to SABC News, the causes of death include dehydration,negligence, while one initiate allegedly died following an assault. Authorities have urged parents and community members to work together with officials to prevent further tragedies.
DON'T MISS IT: Stay Away From Fake News With Our Short, Free Fact-Checking Course. Join And Get Certified!
Deputy Minister Zolile Burns-Ncamashe highlights the severity of the crisis
Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe, is expected to visit the district to conduct an oversight visit. The visit aims to assess conditions at initiation schools and to engage with traditional leaders, practitioners, law enforcement agencies, and local government on interventions going forward.
In an interview with eNCA, Burns- Ncamashe said the deaths highlight the severity of the crisis facing the province, particularly as the initiation season is still ongoing. He also referred to the role played by the Right to Care NGO, which has been assisting in the sector. However, its operations were reportedly scaled down after the withdrawal of PEPFAR funding by US President Donald Trump, on which the organisation depended.
Source: Getty Images
Cogta Minister raised the alarm after five initates' deaths in the Eastern Cape
Meanwhile, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, has also raised the alarm over deaths linked to the current initiation season in the Eastern Cape. In a statement released by the department on 4 December 2025, Hlabisa expressed concern after five initiates lost their lives.
“The season runs from late November through to the end of January 2026, and already hundreds of young initiates have stepped into this sacred passage, embarking on a journey they hope will return them home transformed, grounded, and prepared to carry the responsibilities of young manhood,” the statement read.
“Yet, despite ongoing appeals for vigilance and full compliance with the Customary Initiation Act, the Eastern Cape has already recorded five tragic deaths,” it added
Hlabisa issued a stern warning to illegal initiation schools, stating that the law would take its course against those operating outside the law. This follows the arrest of 21 individuals linked to illegal initiation activities in the province.
The minister further urged communities and parents to remain vigilant and to provide guidance, support, and protection to initiates throughout the season.
“One life lost is one too many. Every initiate must be guaranteed a safe return home, transformed and prepared to embrace the responsibilities of manhood,” Hlabisa said.
2 stories about initiation schools
- In a related incident, Briefly News reported that an Eastern Cape family was left distressed after their 20-year-old son went missing from his initiation hut in Madizeni village, Ngcobo. Tomase Koni reportedly disappeared on 14 December 2025, raising further concern amid an initiation season already marred by multiple deaths.According to TimesLIVE, his aunt, Nonkumbulelo Koni, said he had left his hut to relieve himself, accompanied by another initiate and a traditional nurse (ikhankatha). He was last seen when he stepped outside the hut. An overnight search by the initiation school yielded no results. The family later received a call from an unknown individual demanding R2,000 for his release.
- In another incident reported by Briefly News, a 12-year-old boy from Limpopo died during the winter initiation season in July 2025. The boy reportedly passed away in a Gauteng hospital on 9 July 2025 following a fire at an initiation school outside Tzaneen. His death marked the second fatality in the province since the season began on 23 June 2025. Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba expressed shock and sadness at the news, particularly as it was the second death recorded within a single week.
Source: Briefly News
