As the 2015 initiation summer season draws to a close, the country is taking stock of the mortality rate.
The Eastern Cape has recorded 42 deaths during this period, a massive increase on the 28 recorded deaths in the 2014 summer season.
Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders chairman Chief Ngangomhlaba Matanzima said despite more than 30000 initiates returning home alive, he was saddened by the death toll. “We prayed for zero deaths, but instead we lost 42 young lives through a custom that should not kill. All these deaths could have been prevented if we had vigilant traditional nurses and maximum participation by parents. Traditional leaders and communities must understand that initiation is a societal matter,” said Matanzima.
While some traditional leaders and traditional nurses were blamed for the deaths and negligence of the initiates, there are those who have been applauded for the excellent work they carry out.
Mzimasi Mtimka has been a traditional surgeon for almost 20 years, and there has never been a death, or injury, among his initiates. In this season alone he circumcised about 300 boys in the greater Peddie area. All returned home healthy and strong.
Matanzima said in the amaRharhabe Kingdom, there were hardly ever any circumcision-related deaths, and none had ever been recorded in Peddie.
Centane’s Phinda Malova, a church leader, police sergeant and traditional surgeon, has been running the Malova Christian initiation school for years. This season 250 boys from the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal were circumcised there. The oldest initiate was a 55-year-old grandfather.
One of the initiates was an Indian boy, Alister Chetty, whose safe return home led to his parents, Loreto and Andy Chetty, and the entire Butterworth community celebrating.
Alister, a dedicated cook whose skills wowed fellow initiates in the bush, and who plans to study to become a chef, regards his experience as “a dream come true”.
“That was the most beautiful experience of my life,” said Chetty.
“I learnt a lot about being a man, a respectful citizen of South Africa. I now know my responsibility as man.”
Even within the trouble spots of the Mpondo region and the Chris Hani district (which recorded the highest number of deaths), there are pockets where no deaths occurred.
Health department safe circumcision manager Dr Luvuyo Bayeni said 16 initiates had died in the Chris Hani district, mostly of dehydration.
“We have distributed more than 6000 litres of water to the district. Thirty-four initiates are still in hospital in the Chris Hani district,” he said, adding that most deaths occurred in the first seven to 10 days of an initiation season, which runs for a minimum of 21 days.
All stakeholders hoped there would be no more deaths, but this weekend is the final hurdle, as the last few young men return in time for the academic year, which starts on Wednesday.
Huge rise in initiate deaths as season draws to a close
The Eastern Cape has recorded 42 deaths during this period, a massive increase on the 28 recorded deaths in the 2014 summer season.
Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders chairman Chief Ngangomhlaba Matanzima said despite more than 30000 initiates returning home alive, he was saddened by the death toll. “We prayed for zero deaths, but instead we lost 42 young lives through a custom that should not kill. All these deaths could have been prevented if we had vigilant traditional nurses and maximum participation by parents. Traditional leaders and communities must understand that initiation is a societal matter,” said Matanzima.
While some traditional leaders and traditional nurses were blamed for the deaths and negligence of the initiates, there are those who have been applauded for the excellent work they carry out.
Mzimasi Mtimka has been a traditional surgeon for almost 20 years, and there has never been a death, or injury, among his initiates. In this season alone he circumcised about 300 boys in the greater Peddie area. All returned home healthy and strong.
Matanzima said in the amaRharhabe Kingdom, there were hardly ever any circumcision-related deaths, and none had ever been recorded in Peddie.
Centane’s Phinda Malova, a church leader, police sergeant and traditional surgeon, has been running the Malova Christian initiation school for years. This season 250 boys from the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal were circumcised there. The oldest initiate was a 55-year-old grandfather.
One of the initiates was an Indian boy, Alister Chetty, whose safe return home led to his parents, Loreto and Andy Chetty, and the entire Butterworth community celebrating.
Alister, a dedicated cook whose skills wowed fellow initiates in the bush, and who plans to study to become a chef, regards his experience as “a dream come true”.
“That was the most beautiful experience of my life,” said Chetty.
“I learnt a lot about being a man, a respectful citizen of South Africa. I now know my responsibility as man.”
Even within the trouble spots of the Mpondo region and the Chris Hani district (which recorded the highest number of deaths), there are pockets where no deaths occurred.
Health department safe circumcision manager Dr Luvuyo Bayeni said 16 initiates had died in the Chris Hani district, mostly of dehydration.
“We have distributed more than 6000 litres of water to the district. Thirty-four initiates are still in hospital in the Chris Hani district,” he said, adding that most deaths occurred in the first seven to 10 days of an initiation season, which runs for a minimum of 21 days.
All stakeholders hoped there would be no more deaths, but this weekend is the final hurdle, as the last few young men return in time for the academic year, which starts on Wednesday.
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