36 Initiation-Related Deaths Recorded This Summer Across South Africa

Published 24 Dec 2025

by Justin Williams

3 min read

36 Initiation-related deaths have been reported this summer across South Africa
Eastern Cape sees the highest fatalities, with 20 deaths, mostly from legal circumcisions
The government is planning a clampdown on illegal schools and public safety to prevent further tragedies

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Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.

Twenty fatalities have been recorded in the Eastern Cape, 13 in Free State, two in Gauteng and one in the North West — There have been 36 initiation-related deaths across the country this summer. Image: ALEXANDER JOE/AFP via Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

PRETORIA - The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs reported that 36 initiation-related deaths have occurred across the country this summer.

36 Initiation-related deaths

The fatalities include 20 in the Eastern Cape, 13 in the Free State, two in Gauteng, and one in the North West. The department noted that most of the deaths were linked to poor hygiene, dehydration, and negligence. The initiation process for young boys, which includes circumcision and takes place in secluded camps, carries inherent risks if not properly supervised.

Eastern Cape records 20 initiation-related deaths

Since the initiation season began on 14 November 2025, the OR Tambo district recorded the highest number of deaths, with seven, followed by the Amathole district with five. Of the 20 initiates who died, 13 had undergone legal circumcision, while seven had been circumcised illegally.

Provincial Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Zolile Williams explained that the provincial government has been actively working to ensure full compliance with the Customary Initiation Act and the Eastern Cape Customary Male Initiation Practice Act. This includes ongoing visits to initiation camps throughout the province to monitor practices and safeguard the well-being of initiates.

3 Stories about initiation schools

In a separate incident, Briefly News reported that an Eastern Cape family was left in distress after their 20-year-old son went missing from his initiation hut in Madizeni village, Ngcobo. Tomase Koni reportedly disappeared on 14 December 2025, adding to concerns during an initiation season already marked by multiple deaths.

A 12-year-old boy from Limpopo died during the winter initiation season in July 2025. Reports indicate that he passed away in a Gauteng hospital on 9 July 2025 after sustaining injuries in a fire at an initiation school outside Tzaneen. His death was the second fatality in the province since the season began on 23 June 2025.

Velenkosini Hlabisa raised concerns over deaths during the current initiation season in the Eastern Cape. In a statement issued on 4 December 2025, he noted that five initiates had already died. Hlabisa explained that the season, which runs from late November to the end of January 2026, involves hundreds of young men taking part in a traditional rite of passage meant to prepare them for adulthood. He warned that despite ongoing appeals for strict adherence to safety protocols, fatalities continue to occur during the ceremonies.