Free State ranks second in initiation school deaths

The Free State has been singled out as a province with the second highest number of fatalities emanating from circumcisions at initiation schools, after the Eastern Cape.

This was said at the launch of the Safe Customary Initiation Awareness Campaign for the 2025 initiation season in Bloemfontein. The Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department is on a drive to ensure that it curtails the number of fatalities amongst the youth who go through the rite of passage this year.

Many young people fall victim to illegal initiation schools, which results in botched circumcisions. 

Amputations and deaths of initiates are a concern raised as the winter season initiation is about to start. These are some of the challenges the department wants to do away with. Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, says they want to stop illegal and unqualified instructors from running initiation schools. Hlabisa says they want to prevent underage boys from initiating others. He also says the department wants to collaborate with other government departments to ensure Zero Deaths this season. 

VIDEO | Winter initiation season launched: Kgoshi Mathupa Mokoena

“The two provinces with alarming figures which are human beings is Eastern Cape and Free State. We felt to come here to make a clarion call that these time around we do not want to see any young men who will leave their home and don’t come back alive. The motto is Mabaye Bephila, Babuye Bephila. Parents must celebrate the departure of their boys to initiation schools. They must welcome them back with same celebration when they come back with no injuries and alive.” 

The Free State Department responsible for traditional affairs has sent a strong warning to would-be chancers conducting illegal initiations.

MEC for Cogta Saki Mokoena explains, “If you tend to undertake initiation and initiates are dying the state will come full force after you. Because you know you have not followed procedure, you have no capacity no knowledge. You’re risking essentially destroying the lives of inmates. We are now working with the police fully – our own provincial initiation committee works with the police. We have got the right and the power to shut down and to even effect an arrest of anyone operating an illegal school.” 

South African Local Government Association NEC member, Samkelo Janda, has also emphasised that they want to ensure there is zero deaths and no casualties in this initiation season.

The department says it will continue to raise awareness in other provinces with the exception of KwaZulu-Natal, which will have a summer initiation season.