Mass Circumcision ‘Initiation Ceremony’ Kills 39 Boys, Mutilates Dozens
- The 2025 summer Ulwaluko rite in South Africa concluded with 39 reported deaths, sparking renewed concern over traditional circumcision practices
- Officials blame illegal initiation schools for the fatalities, citing untrained practitioners and unsafe conditions
- Despite government pledges to enforce accountability, cultural pressure continues to drive participation in the controversial rite
The controversial Ulwaluko summer rite, a traditional Xhosa ceremony marking the transition from boyhood to manhood through circumcision, has concluded for 2025 with 39 reported deaths.
The fatalities have reignited national debate over the safety and regulation of initiation schools in South Africa.
Source: Getty Images
Ulwaluko death toll drops in 2025
While this year’s death toll was significantly lower than the 93 deaths recorded in 2024, public officials and health advocates remain deeply concerned.
Over the past five years, Ulwaluko has claimed the lives of 361 boys, according to figures published by the Daily Mail. The ceremony, which involves a secluded and rigorous rite of passage for teenage boys, has long been criticised for its health risks, particularly when carried out by unregulated initiation schools.
In 2024, dozens of boys were reportedly circumcised using unsanitised tools such as old spears and razor blades, leading to widespread infections, 11 amputations, and a surge in fatalities.
This year’s reduction in deaths has been attributed to increased oversight and government intervention.
Illegal initiation schools blamed
Eastern Cape provincial chairperson Athol Trollip, of the political party Action SA, reiterated in 2023 that “the bulk of deaths are caused by illegal initiation schools run by opportunistic and unqualified individuals.”
These schools often employ untrained practitioners, resulting in botched procedures and life-threatening complications such as gangrene, sepsis, and dehydration, especially during the hot summer months.
Former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize previously proposed that the rite be moved to winter to mitigate the risks posed by extreme heat, which exacerbates medical complications.
Government vows accountability and reform
In launching the 2025 winter initiation season, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisi pledged to enforce stricter regulations.
“All initiation schools are accountable and any school that contravenes the law and endangers lives then the law is unequivocal and they will be closed down at once,” Hlabisi said in a statement.
“We cannot accept any more deaths and owe it to these young men and their families to ensure their journey into adulthood is safe, dignified and respected, and of course safe,” he added.
Personal accounts highlight complexity
Despite the risks, many young men continue to undergo the rite due to cultural expectations and the desire for social recognition.
“I was, of course, very scared of going,” said 19-year-old Scotty Dawka in 2015, as quoted by The Guardian.
“I wanted to be looked up to as a man in my village by the elders. It was very painful to go through, and I fell ill, but I was treated and survived.”
Another initiate, Aubrey Nkinqa, also 19, shared his motivation:
“In my community, a lot of boys went through initiation. That is why I had to do it because I wanted to be the same as them. I wanted to be a man.”
The rite is seen by many as a sacred tradition that instils discipline, responsibility, and spiritual purity. However, critics argue that the physical and psychological toll must not be overlooked.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, speaking in 2014, urged traditional leaders and health officials to collaborate.
“The guardians of South African health and culture must find the means to work together to protect the sanctity of our traditional practices,” he said.
Tutu advocated for the involvement of qualified medical practitioners to enhance safety, stating, “We must protect these practices, but we must avoid placing too much focus on the physical and psychological ordeal.”
Source: Facebook
Parents jubilate as 1000 children get free circumcision
Legit.ng earlier reported that Sokoto State witnessed a wave of jubilation on Saturday, December 7, as over 1,000 children were circumcised in a philanthropic gesture aimed at assisting underprivileged families.
The mass circumcision exercise, sponsored by Faruku Fada, a prominent PDP chieftain and philanthropist, took place at Alhuda College of Health Technology and extended to the North and South Local Government Areas of the state.
Source: Legit.ng
