Second illegal initiate dies in Eastern Cape

A second  young and illegal initiate  has died in the  Eastern Cape.

This was announced by Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders (ECHTL) acting chair Nkosi Langa Mavuso on Thursday afternoon.

''A 16-year-old initiate has died in the hands of yet another bogus traditional surgeon. I could not even imagine how it happened and why. The law must take its course,'' said Mavuso.

The youth, who is from Lukholo village in Mbizana in the Alfred Nzo district, was circumcised on  December 6. He died three days later.

''One is wondering where were the parents, but I don't want to cast aspersions,'' said Mavuso.

The Mbizana death comes after a Grade 5 pupil, Bathandwa Funda, died at an illegal initiation school old at Gxulu village near Libode on October 31.

In the OR Tambo district there were three other 15-year-old boys who were unlawfully circumcised in Port St Johns.

Mavuso said not only were the boys under the legal age of 18 and the initiation schools and surgeons unregistered, but no medical tests, including for Covid, had been undertaken. Furthermore, both deaths happened outside a legal time frame as the rite will only officially start on December 17 and they had transgressed the Disaster Management Act.

Cogta spokesperson Mamnkeli Ngam said parents and families should be in the forefront in ensuring the safety of their children.

''We have four initiates seriously injured in a Mthatha hospital. Parents and families must do their part and ensure the initiation journey of their sons is the safest and their son come back home alive, healthy and strong. It is a responsibility that cannot be outsourced.

"If parents and families were vigilant and stopped playing double standards on matters of initiation, there would be no illegal circumcisions and fatalities,'' said Ngam.

DispatchLIVE