Known as Ulwaluko, the centuries-old ceremony is held twice a year and is intended to mark the transition from boyhood to manhood. Initiates are taken away from their families for about three weeks, where they undergo circumcision and are taught traditional values, survival skills and community history.
However, illegal initiation schools have been blamed for many of the deaths and injuries. Untrained practitioners reportedly carry out circumcisions using unsafe instruments, leading to severe infections, gangrene, sepsis and dehydration.
A South African government-commissioned report recorded 322 deaths between 2021 and 2024, alongside thousands of hospitalisations and cases of amputation. In 2024 alone, 93 deaths and 11 penile amputations were recorded during the winter and summer initiation seasons.
The government has introduced measures to regulate the practice, including requiring initiation schools to be registered and traditional surgeons to be trained and qualified. According to reports, Police have also shut down 42 illegal schools, arrested 40 people and rescued 180 boys.
Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa said the latest deaths were 'deeply concerning' and called for collective action to eliminate preventable deaths and injuries.
'Respect for tradition must go hand in hand with respect for the law and every initiate's constitutional right to life, dignity and safety,' Hlabisa said.
Despite the risks, Ulwaluko remains culturally significant for many communities. Those who complete the ceremony are recognised as men and may gain access to certain traditional and social activities, while those who refuse can face strong peer pressure and social stigma.
Source : https://new.igihe.com/english/south-africa-circumcision-ceremonies-leave-43-boys-dead/
