- At least 10 initiates have died in different areas of Mpumalanga since the start of the current initiation school season.
- Many mothers worry about the safety of their sons.
- Moloto local chief, Petros Skhosana, says initiates do not easily get sick at initiation schools.
A climate of fear and uncertainty prevailed in some areas of Mpumalanga this week after it emerged that 10 initiates had died in various areas of the province since the start of the current initiation school season.
Thousands of boys went to different initiation schools on the mountains on 28 April, to undergo the traditional rite of passage to manhood, which is popularly known as Ingoma (Ndebele word meaning: a song).
They are expected to spend two months on the mountains before they graduate and return to their homes as men.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala confirmed the deaths of 10 initiates on Tuesday, but did not immediately say which areas were affected.
He said their bodies were taken to government mortuaries for a postmortem.
"Cases of culpable homicide and inquest dockets have been opened for investigation," said Mohlala.
Several single parents, who are mothers of some of the boys at initiation schools, told News24 they were worried about the safety of their sons.
They said their concerns were aggravated by the fact that the men, who run these initiation schools, were not revealing anything about the state of their sons' health. This, they said, was because it was taboo in many African cultures for men to discuss initiation matters with women.
One of the parents, Annah Ntuli, of Moloto Village, near KwaMhlanga, told News24 she was happy when her 18-year-old son went to the initiation school. But, she said, she now feared for his life following the death of the 10 initiates.
Ntuli said:
She continued: "My son was fully vaccinated against Covid-19 before he went to initiation school. This means he is safe from contracting Covid-19. I just hope he will survive any other thing that might be a danger to his life."
Another parent, Nomhle Masemola, of Zakheni Village, has appealed to the police to thoroughly investigate the deaths of the 10 initiates, so that the remaining ones can be safe.
She said she prayed every day for the safety of her 17-year-old son.
"The men, who run initiation schools, must tell us when our sons are sick, so that we can assist in whatever way," said Masemola.
"They must also allow medical doctors to visit these schools regularly and examine the initiates."
Moloto local chief of the Ndebele Ndzundza Mabhoko tribal authority, Petros Skhosana, told News24 he was running seven initiation schools in the village, with a total of 90 initiates.
He admitted that it was taboo to discuss initiation matters with women, but would neither deny nor concede that women were not informed when their sons became ill at initiation schools.
"All my 90 initiates are still alive and none of them is sick," said Skhosana.
"Initiates do not easily get sick at initiation schools. This is because they undergo several medical tests and treatments before we allow them to go to these schools."
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