Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
At least 41 young men have died as a result of circumcision, which is part of the country’s traditional initiation practice. South Africa in November and December, authorities said Tuesday.
The traditional initiation ceremony is an annual coming-of-age ceremony for young people in various ethnic groups in Africa, including parts of South Africa. These include the Xhosa, Ndebele, Sotho and Venda communities.
Traditionally, young people were isolated in initiation schools, where they were taught cultural values and responsibilities as adults. The circumcision component of initiation results in the deaths of some initiates each year, forcing the government to intervene through legislation.
The law compels initiation schools to register with the authorities, but this has not stopped the proliferation of illegal initiation schools, which have reportedly caused many deaths.
Parents are required to pay for their children to attend Head Start schools for a set period, which for some is a financial incentive to open unregistered Head Start schools.
Start-up periods usually take place during the winter (June-July) and summer (November-December) school holidays.
Velenkosini Hlabisa, South Africa’s traditional affairs minister, told local broadcasters on Tuesday that 41 initiates died during initiations this summer. He accused head start schools, including registered schools, and parents of being negligent and failing to adhere to safety standards and medical advice.
Hrabisa said some unproven advice often given to young people is to avoid drinking water in order to recover faster.
“Some Head Start schools have been negligent in meeting health standards. If you take your child to a Head Start school and you never follow up, you don’t monitor, you don’t go there to see if the child is drinking water, you’re putting your child at risk,” he said.
The Eastern Cape has been identified as a hotspot for initiate deaths, with 21 deaths reported so far.
Hrabisa said 41 people had been arrested in connection with illegal initiation schools, including parents who gave their children the wrong age to enter.
Under South African law, only children aged 16 and above may attend initiation schools with parental consent.
Traditional initiation rites are widely practiced in African communities, and the return of the initiate is often marked by joyful cultural celebrations.