Gauteng Police Investigate Death of Initiate in Vereeniging, South Africans Voice Outrage Online
- The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Gauteng is investigating the death of a 19-year-old Vereeniging initiate
- A total of 41 boys have now died during the 2025 summer initiation season, with many people arrested, including two parents
- South Africans weighed in on the deaths, calling for safer practices to ensure no more fatalities are suffered in future
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Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
GAUTENG – The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Gauteng is investigating the death of another initiate in the province, as the death toll of 2025’s summer initiation season surpassed 40.
Police are probing the death of a 19-year-old, who passed away at a Vereeniging initiation school in Gauteng. Two other initiates, who were critically ill, were also rushed to a nearby hospital.
Police investigating the death of a 19-year-old initiate
Gauteng Police Spokesperson, Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, confirmed that an investigation was opened after the death of the teenager on Sunday, 28 December 2025.
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The 19-year-old collapsed and died while in the presence of other initiates.
“The cause of death is unknown pending postmortem results. No one has been arrested, and police investigations are continuing,” Colonel Nevhuhulwi said.
Summer initiation season death toll increases
The death brought Gauteng’s death toll during the summer initiation season to two and raised the national death toll to 41. The Eastern Cape has accounted for more than 20 deaths. Several people have also been arrested, including two parents.
Source: Getty Images
South Africans weigh in on the latest death
The deaths have again sparked outrage online as South Africans called for more to be done to prevent further deaths.
Thatha ba thatha like suggested:
“Parents must take their boys to the clinics for free, safe medical male circumcisions. To avoid problems.”
Babalo Dayizana said:
“An initiate school from Gauteng? This government is killing our youngsters and wants to blame us. Any young boy from Gauteng who has no background of traditions and who wants to be circumcised must go to the hospital. Not this nonsense of harassing our traditions, trying to be on point, whereas they even know they are out of order. I can count too many towns in the Eastern Cape that maintain this culture in order without anybody's intervention or harassment.”
Jennie Dallas added:
“This is actually murder if the Sangoma does not abide by basic hygiene practices. Government must act. They must be properly trained and certified.”
Oupa Lamza Molamu stated:
“Dehydration. Those boys training to be men go through rigorous punishment, including inconsistent eating and being denied water.”
Gabhadiya Shaka Shabalala urged:
“These people must go to the clinic and stop bragging about being men. We circumcise at the clinic, and we are healthy, and we are men.”
Other stories about fatalities at initiation schools
Briefly News reported that there have been several stories about deaths of initiates at schools across the country.
Recent tragic initiation cases across provinces
A19-year-old matric learner died after reportedly being forcibly taken to an initiation school near Mafikeng.
In Limpopo, a 12-year-old boy died following a fire at an initiation school in the Mopani district.
A 20-year-old initiate went missing from an initiation hut in Madizeni village on 14 December 2025.
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Source: Briefly News
