Civil society and traditional leadership organisations have described the rising number of initiation deaths as a national disaster that has become normalised, blaming criminality, money-hungry operators, weak regulation and government failure for the continued loss of young lives.
This follows the department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs Cogta having confirmed that 48 initiates died nationally during the 2025 summer initiation season, with the Eastern Cape and Free State recording the highest number of fatalities.
Cogta spokesperson Pearl Maseko-Binqose said minister Velenkosini Hlabisa convened a high-level meeting this week to assess provincial monitoring plans and receive updates on the deaths recorded so far.
