The tribal “start ceremony” of 2025 ended with teenage circumcision in South Africa – with 39 deaths and dozens of children.
Despite the goal set by the Zero Mouse this year, this number is still a significant decrease last year as 93 died, while a total of 361 boys died in the past five years.
In 2024, the hideous complications led to 11 Penis amputation after the traditional “surgeons” used the old spears and shaving blades to perform the water rituals.
Thousands of thousands have ended in the hospital since 2020 after the start of three months, which ends with circumcision.
The ceremony is usually performed, known as ulwaluko, by the people of xhosa and the transition from boyhood to masculinity.
Children are generally subject to ancient rituals between the ages of 16 and 26.
Without undergoing the ceremony, they are not allowed to sit in tribal meetings, or participate in some social activities or marriage.
The rituals have been held for several centuries in the huts that were specially built away from the villages that no person with the exception of tribal elderly people can enter.
The tribal “start ceremony” of 2025 ended with teenage circumcision in South Africa – with 39 deaths and dozens of children. Photo: File image
The annual ceremony, known as ulwaluko, is usually performed by the people of xhosa and the transition from childhood to masculinity. In the picture: the file image
Children are generally subject to ancient rituals between the ages of 16 and 26 and cannot sit in tribal meetings without them. In the picture: the file image
The government is blamed on criminal gangs that have established hundreds of unorganized start -up schools with non -trained “paramedics” who are circumcision.
They ignore the law that any 16 -year -old person cannot submit to rituals and receive high prices for families to implement ULWLUKO often with deadly or horrific end results.
Gharrina, stinking and drought are the main cause of death, although it was reported that the children who have returned have been stabbed, drowned or beaten to death.
There are hundreds of reports in a year of illegal schools that kidnap children up to the age of 12 and carry out surgery, then forced parents to pay to restore their children.
Although there are calls for prohibiting dangerous practices, some have argued that it is an important part of Xhosa’s life.
The customary starting law has been introduced to make illegal to create unregistered starting schools and all traditional surgeons must be eligible.
Police now have powers to close illegal schools and arrest school principals.
Every year, tens of thousands of children pass through the holy ceremony, which dates back to generations, despite the high death rate.
The worst injuries of the failed circumcision carried by the tribal “nurses” who may use the same spear for many children that cause group infection. In the picture: the file image
Although there are calls for prohibiting dangerous practices, some have argued that it is an important part of Xhosa’s life. In the photo: Young people who were successful in circumcision in 2018
The Minister of Governance and Traditional Affairs Department put a goal for the death of Al -Safar for the year 2025 in registered schools, while the police closed illegal schools.
According to the President of the Tribal Sephto Malango, Vice -President of the National Parliament for traditional leaders, 80 % of the initiatives who die or are distorted are the victims of illegal schools.
Most of them die due to severe dehydration after being forced not to drink to prevent urination after circumcision.
The government pledged to reduce the number of illegal schools aimed at teenagers in half from 429 by 2029.
Although boys have a choice about whether they are starting, there is a great pressure from peers, and those who reject the name INKWENKWE or “Boy” – a harsh insult.
Traditional surgeons receive parents to take children for up to three weeks to teach them survival skills and how to behave as a man and then perform the dreaded “bouquet”.
Scotti Duka, 19, went to a school to start despite watching a TV program on the amputation of the penis and told a local reporter: “I was of course very afraid of going.
“In my community, many children passed by starting in front of me and wanted to be like them. I wanted to look at him as a man in my village by the elderly.
Despite the goal set by the Zero Mouse this year, this number is still a significant decrease last year as 93 died, while a total of 361 boys died in the past five years. In the picture: the file image
In 2024, the hideous complications led to 11 Penis amputation after the traditional “surgeons” used the old spears and shaving blades to perform the water rituals. In the picture: the file image
Children cannot participate in tribal meetings or even include them in some social activities or marriage. In the picture: the file image
He said: “It was very painful to be ill, but I was treated and survived.”
Ann Kumalo kidnapped her 16 -year -old son when he went to a local store with 22 other boys and moved to an illegal starting school 20 miles in Soweto.
She said: “R1000 (43 pounds) has been charged with his recovery or warned that he would be killed and when the police found the school, the children were treated badly, their references and hit them.”
“The largest part of the deaths are the result of illegal starting schools run by opportunists and unqualified individuals,” Athol Trollip told the eastern Cape Cape leader from SA.
“All schools must be registered and properly trained,” he said.
In the launch of the winter start season for this year, the Minister of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs, Mr. Fellankosini Helpisi, pledged to reduce the death toll.
He said: ‘All starting schools are responsible and any school that contradict the law and the desired life, then the law will be unambiguous and will be closed at the same time.
“We cannot accept more deaths and condemn these young people and their families to ensure that their journey to adulthood is safe, generous, respectful, and of course safe.
Many initiatives do not seek a medical treatment even though they are in suffering for up to 10 days, as he was told that if it is “decreased”, it will be again but they die from blood rot. In the picture: the file image
Most of them die due to severe dehydration after being forced not to drink to prevent urination after circumcision. In the picture: the file image
“We cannot repeat the lives that were lost last year or before, but we can honor them by ensuring that no family ever happened to this pain again,” he added.
Former South African President Nelson Mandela wrote about the spiritual meaning of his circumcision when he was a teenager before kissing him as a freedom fighter.
Those who were subjected to the sacred rituals divide the secrecy and consider tribalists and beaten or killed if they tell anyone who requires the operation.
The worst injuries of the failed circumcision carried by the tribal “nurses” who may use the same spear for many children that cause group infection.
The wounds are tightly wrapped with bandages that cut blood supplies to the area and within 10 hours the genitals can become a mistake and need amputation.
Many initiatives do not seek a medical treatment even though they are in suffering for up to 10 days, as he was told that if it is “decreased”, it will be again but they die from blood rot.
In the summer season from November to January 28, the boys died, while 11 boys died since May, with a penis amputation not reported.