Two Initiates Die at Limpopo Schools
Families grieve as questions arise over safety protocols.
Two young men have died while attending initiation schools in Limpopo, South Africa, prompting investigations and calls for stricter safety measures. The separate incidents have raised concerns about the well-being of initiates and the oversight of these traditional practices.
Mother’s Anguish
**Matsebatlela**’s son was initially treated at Letaba hospital, but his severe wounds necessitated a transfer to a private facility in Tzaneen. He was then moved to Barberton hospital, where he passed away. The grieving mother said government officials offered no support, stating, “While I was doing all the runaround alone, seeking medical attention for my son, the department [of co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta)] was nowhere to be found.”
**Matsebatlela** also noted the principal of the initiation school did not contact her after her son’s death.
Second Death Reported
Another initiate, **Raymond Sekele**, 19, died at Philadelphia hospital in the Sekhukhune district on Sunday. It’s believed that **Sekele** was receiving treatment for epilepsy while at an initiation school in Dennilton, near Groblersdal.
Government Responds
**Amos Phago**, a Limpopo Cogta spokesperson, said, “The initiation school was legal. If that was not the case, the department wouldn’t be running around trying to intervene.”
**Dr. Phophi Ramathuba**, Limpopo’s premier, expressed sadness at the deaths, stating it was heartbreaking that such promising young lives had been cut short.
She urged vigilance in protecting initiates. As a point of comparison, in 2023, 34 initiates died in the Eastern Cape due to complications from circumcision during initiation rituals (News24).
It is our collective responsibility to ensure that all initiates attending these schools are protected and safe. We call upon all individuals entrusted with the oversight of these young men to exercise utmost vigilance,”—Dr. Phophi Ramathuba, Limpopo Premier
**Basikopo Makamu**, Cogta MEC, stated the department has asked traditional leaders and school operators to carefully enforce safety regulations.
