South African authorities have suspended several initiation schools following the deaths of at least 20 boys during circumcision ceremonies in the Eastern Cape. The country's religious and cultural commission ordered a one-year suspension of the schools, calling for the arrest of those responsible.
The traditional practice, known as ukwaluka, involves boys aged 15 to 17 spending weeks in seclusion in mountainous areas. While the ritual is a rite of passage for ethnic groups like the Xhosa and Ndebele, botched circumcisions have led to deaths, penile amputations, septic wounds, and dehydration.
Most deaths occurred at unregistered schools, which have proliferated due to the commercialisation of the practice. Spokesperson Mamkeli Ngam noted that individuals are charging exorbitant fees, contrary to tradition. In June, over 100 boys were rescued from such schools.
The government now requires traditional surgeons (ingcibi) to register and funds medical visits to registered schools. However, unregistered schools remain difficult to monitor. Some communities oppose government-run circumcision centres, viewing them as a Westernisation of their custom.
Initiation remains a contentious issue, with calls for better regulation to prevent further tragedies while respecting cultural rights protected by South Africa's constitution.
