119 initiation deaths and only 11 persons convicted 

20 August 2014

In the past two years, 119 deaths and 66 injuries have been recorded as a result of botched initiations, a reply to a DA parliamentary question has revealed. 

Only 11 people have been convicted in connection with these deaths. 

The DA calls on Police Minister, Nathi Nhleko, to urgently establish a specialised unit, similar to the rural safety unit we have repeatedly called for, to ensure proper law enforcement is in place to crack down on bogus initiation schools and to ensure perpetrators are arrested and convicted. 

These are murders, and must be handled with the seriousness the police would address any other murder.

I will also request a joint sitting of the Portfolio Committee's on Cooperative governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and Police to summon the National Police Commissioner, Riah Phiyega, and the Minister to get an urgent explanation as to why there have been so few arrests despite the consistently high number of deaths during initiation seasons.

Indeed, the deaths continue year after year, because there is no comprehensive response to root out the crisis.

However, where we govern, the DA in the Western Cape is committed to ensuring that we provide training and support to make initiation and initiation schools  the safe place that it is meant to be.

The Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport have the following interventions in place: 

The forming of partnerships with the relevant Initiation Forums, Municipalities and provincial departments such as Health which work towards protecting the custom of initiation as well as safeguarding the medical well-being of all initiates.

Providing first aid training and kits for traditional healers and surgeons;

Providing bibs to nurses who assist during the ceremonies;

Providing districts with the services of a doctor (on call) for circumcision camps;

Encouraging local authorities to have clean running water points at circumcision camps; and

Engaging traditional healers and surgeons through their local forums about the ritual and its medical implications.

According to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Pravin Gordhan, his department is working with various role players to reach the objective of zero deaths in the next initiation period. If we do not convict those responsible, we will not reach this target.

Text of the reply:

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION NUMBER: 660

660.     Mr B M Bhanga (DA) to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs:

(1) How many persons underwent traditional initiation in the (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14 financial years;

(2) (a) how many initiates were (i) injured and (ii) died as a result of traditional initiation (aa) in the (aaa) 2012-13 and (bbb) 2013-14 financial years and (bb) since 1 April 2014 and (b) what was the cause of death in each case;

(3) how many persons have been (a) charged and (b) convicted for contributing to the (i) injuries and/or (ii) deaths of initiates (aa) in the 2013-14 financial year and (bb) since 1 April 2014?    NW744E

REPLY:

We want to emphasise that even a single death or any physical harm is unacceptable. As we have indicated the preparations for this initiation season has been intensive involving many role players including traditional leadership structures, the Department of Health and the Police. As a result there has been significant drop in deaths. However, more intensive efforts will be introduced for the next period so that our objective of zero deaths is achived.

The criminal justice system must also deal with those responsible for deaths firmly and send a strong message of intolerance for criminal conduct. We also appeal to communities to be an active part of this process and discourage, indeed stop the use of illegal initiation schools.

(1)

(2)  (a)

(b) The general causes of death are due to dehydration, pneumonia, diabetes and uncontrolled bleeding, esophagus cancer, STI's, and Anatomical heart defect.

(3) 

Statement issued by Nqaba Bhanga MP, DA Shadow Deputy Minister Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, August 20 2014

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