Cogta warns of potential crisis after five deaths reported in summer initiation season
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has sounded an urgent alarm as the 2025/26 Summer Initiation Season has recorded five deaths within its first weeks, prompting warnings of a potential crisis if swift action is not taken.
The season, which runs from late November until the end of January, has already seen hundreds of young initiates begin the traditional rite of passage.
But the department confirmed that the Eastern Cape has reported five fatalities, one in Buffalo City, two in the Chris Hani District, and two in the OR Tambo District, a development it says underscores the dangers posed by non-compliance and illegal operations.
Cogta said it was deeply troubled by the early warning signs. The department cautioned that without urgent intervention, the situation could escalate into a ‘dangerous crisis’ that risks further loss of life.
Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa delivered a strong message at illegal operators, ordering them to shut down immediately. He stressed that unlawful initiation schools are “criminal, unsafe, and deadly”, adding that the state would not allow the reckless endangerment of boys undergoing the ritual.
“It is commendable that the Eastern Cape has already made 21 arrests linked to illegal initiation activities. This must continue, and other provinces must show the same level of resolve, ” Hlabisa said.
The department emphasised that families and communities must intensify their oversight of initiates, particularly households without male figures to conduct regular monitoring. It stressed that initiation is a collective duty that requires constant vigilance, care, and community participation.
“One life lost is one too many. Mabaye bephila, babuya bephila.” It said every initiate should be guaranteed a safe transition and return home.
Cogta said it has instructed the National Initiation Oversight Committee and Provincial Initiation Oversight Committees to scale up their coordination, deploy multi-sectoral teams, and intervene rapidly where risks are identified.
The department warned that negligence would not be tolerated.
The minister also urged unannounced inspections of initiation schools in high-risk areas and called on the public to remain alert and engaged.
“The lives of our children are priceless. We cannot claim to uphold culture while allowing preventable tragedies to occur. This season must not spiral into a crisis,” he said. “We possess both the power and the responsibility to alter its course, and we must act decisively.”
Hlabisa added that he is prepared to visit affected areas to reinforce monitoring and support local interventions.
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