Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa provincial general secretary Nkosi Nonkonyana on the increased deaths in initiation schools in the Eastern Cape.
The number of young initiates who have died in the Eastern Cape during the December initiation season has risen to 23 this week.
Eastern Cape officials say they are concerned by the rising number of initiate deaths during this summer season.
Speaking to Clement Manyathela Eastern Cape Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) general secretary Nkosi Nonkonyana says where people don’t follow proper customs, the wreath of the ancestors will cause death.
If there is no family parental control, we are bound to have these deaths. A committee was established and we found that many people, because of unemployment, are using initiation schools as a form of employment.
He says traditional leaders should be given the power to govern over initiation schools and not interfere.
Government must give us the power and support to govern over the initiation schools.
Nkosi Nonkonyana, General-secretary – Contralesa
AFP This file picture taken on 20 November 2008 shows young boys from the Xhosa tribe attending a traditional initiation school in Libode in the Eastern Cape province.
