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Eastern Cape government concerned as initiation death toll increases

Initiates
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Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane is calling on those looking after initiates to ensure the youngsters drink enough water and are provided with medication where necessary amid the continued rise in initiate deaths.

The summer initiation season started two weeks ago and sixteen initiates have since died.

Premier Mabuyane says the leading cause of death is dehydration and renal failure.

“We are also condemning those who are careless about young men’s lives. People must be able to take responsibility, men particular, Look after our young boys who are in the initiations. Go there, even if it is not your child. Make a support. We want everyone to lend a hand to stop this scourge. It is going on unnecessarily. It should have not happened. We can’t lose a single life. Remember, these are young boys. Some of them were doing their grade twelve.”

Congress of Traditional Leaders in South Africa (Contralesa) has also raised concerns about the death of initiates in the Eastern Cape. Contralesa president, Kgoshi Larmeck Mokoena says the money that is given to health care professionals must be channelled to workshop traditional surgeons and initiation schools operators.

They have blamed the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Leaders of failing the initiates in the Eastern Cape.

The authorities have also rescued 13 initiates from illegal initiation schools across the province.

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