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7h ago

South Africa Confirms 41 Initiation Deaths and 41 Arrests as Government Tightens Controls

Officials pledged tighter oversight using localized courts to enforce stricter practitioner registration.

Boys from the Xhosa tribe who have undergone a circumcision ceremony are pictured near Qunu on June 28, 2013. Qunu is where former South African President Nelson Mandela grew up. Mandela, who turns 95 next month, was rushed to hospital over three weeks ago with a recurrent lung disease. AFP PHOTO/CARL DE SOUZA (Photo by Carl DE SOUZA / AFP) (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images)
FILE - Xhosa boys stand in a field during traditional Xhosa male circumcision ceremonies into manhood in Qunu, South Africa, on Saturday, June 30, 2013. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam, File)
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Overview

  • Authorities reported 41 deaths during the November–December initiation season across several provinces, with the Eastern Cape accounting for 21.
  • Police have made 41 arrests linked to illegal initiation activity, including parents accused of falsifying ages below the 16-year legal threshold.
  • Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa attributed many fatalities to negligence by school operators and guardians, citing dangerous advice that initiates avoid drinking water.
  • Officials say illegal, unregistered initiation schools persist despite laws requiring registration and compliance with health and safety standards.
  • The government’s response includes localized courts for faster prosecutions, stricter rules requiring registered traditional surgeons, expanded education and oversight, and a national initiation meeting scheduled for February 2026.