An initiate has died while three others are lying in hospital in Eastern Cape after developing complications, just a month ahead of the summer circumcision season.
The 15-year-old initiate died in his initiation hut at KwaLandile village in Ngqeleni on Wednesday last week after complications.
Although the main initiation seasons are in summer and winter, there are more than 40 initiates who have already been circumcised in villages around the Nyandeni sub-district of OR Tambo.
Most of the initiates are in villages around Ngqeleni.
Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Deputy Minister Obed Bapela had agreed with traditional leaders that there should be a dedicated traditional circumcision unit with personnel and vehicles throughout the year.
Nyandeni traditional initiation monitoring team chairman Nkosi Landela Gwadiso said: "This death, the number of boys who have already been circumcised and the number of those who are in rescue centres, prove that traditional circumcision and initiation is no longer a seasonal issue, but something that can be conducted any time in the season.
"It is for this reason that the traditional monitoring team or traditional circumcision units should be operative throughout the year."
Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders chairman Nkosi Ngangomhlaba Matanzima said death was not part of the "custom".
"Law should be harsher and traditional leaders stricter. This makes us scared of what disaster we will be faced with in the summer season. We should be more vigilant."
Health department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said there were three initiates admitted at Canzibe Hospital in Ngqeleni. "One of them had his penis partially amputated and [the] others were dehydrated."
Community Development Foundation of South Africa executive director Nkululeko Nxesi said there was a total of 25 initiates in the rescue centres in Bhukwini and Zibungu villages in Ngqeleni.
"The youngest is 13 years old. They were circumcised by a high school pupil. It seems like people start conducting illegal circumcision months before the season officially starts in order to beat the stricter controls during the season."
Nxesi said some of the initiates did not even write their September academic examinations.
Fear as initiates death count starts
An initiate has died while three others are lying in hospital in Eastern Cape after developing complications, just a month ahead of the summer circumcision season.
The 15-year-old initiate died in his initiation hut at KwaLandile village in Ngqeleni on Wednesday last week after complications.
Although the main initiation seasons are in summer and winter, there are more than 40 initiates who have already been circumcised in villages around the Nyandeni sub-district of OR Tambo.
Most of the initiates are in villages around Ngqeleni.
Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Deputy Minister Obed Bapela had agreed with traditional leaders that there should be a dedicated traditional circumcision unit with personnel and vehicles throughout the year.
Nyandeni traditional initiation monitoring team chairman Nkosi Landela Gwadiso said: "This death, the number of boys who have already been circumcised and the number of those who are in rescue centres, prove that traditional circumcision and initiation is no longer a seasonal issue, but something that can be conducted any time in the season.
"It is for this reason that the traditional monitoring team or traditional circumcision units should be operative throughout the year."
Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders chairman Nkosi Ngangomhlaba Matanzima said death was not part of the "custom".
"Law should be harsher and traditional leaders stricter. This makes us scared of what disaster we will be faced with in the summer season. We should be more vigilant."
Health department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said there were three initiates admitted at Canzibe Hospital in Ngqeleni. "One of them had his penis partially amputated and [the] others were dehydrated."
Community Development Foundation of South Africa executive director Nkululeko Nxesi said there was a total of 25 initiates in the rescue centres in Bhukwini and Zibungu villages in Ngqeleni.
"The youngest is 13 years old. They were circumcised by a high school pupil. It seems like people start conducting illegal circumcision months before the season officially starts in order to beat the stricter controls during the season."
Nxesi said some of the initiates did not even write their September academic examinations.
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