To:

• The President of the Republic of South Africa
• The Minister of Health
• The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA)
• The Minister of Social Development
• The National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders
• The Limpopo Provincial Government

Woman Initiator: Rirhandzu Rikhotso, A Village Girl From Malamulele

 Another winter initiation season has passed, and once again, more lives have been lost at unlawful and unsafe initiation schools.

My question is simple:

How many more boys must die before decisive action is taken?

Every year, media houses report these tragic deaths. The stories dominate headlines, generate clicks and views, and then disappear until the next initiation season. Meanwhile, families continue to bury their sons, and very little changes.

These tragedies should not become seasonal news stories. They should be treated as a national crisis requiring urgent intervention.

I write this petition as a concerned South African citizen who has watched generations of boys suffer while those entrusted with protecting them remain silent. Many of our national and traditional leaders experienced initiation themselves. They understand its significance and the challenges associated with it. Yet far too many young men continue to lose their lives because illegal schools continue to operate without accountability and because existing laws are not effectively enforced.

My Story

I grew up in a small village called Mahonisi Village.

As a child, I often watched boys return from tshaveni. Villagers welcomed them with ululations and celebrations because they had now entered manhood.

I remember seeing them dressed in traditional red clothing. Behind those celebrations, however, I could also see pain written across their faces. They had been taught that enduring suffering was part of becoming a man.

What troubles me even more today is that some families spend large amounts of money celebrating while these boys are still recovering from serious physical injuries. In my view, some of those resources could instead help pay for proper aftercare and medication—services that many families struggle to access and that are often not adequately provided through the public healthcare system.

As I grew older, and as my brothers, relatives, neighbours, friends, and other young men in my community underwent initiation, I began to understand how painful, dangerous, and, in some cases, life-threatening the experience can become when proper safety measures are ignored.

Respecting Culture While Protecting Life

Traditional initiation is an important cultural practice that has existed for generations. It provides many young men with identity, discipline, responsibility, resilience, cultural education, and pride.

This petition is not an attack on our culture.

• It is not an attempt to replace African traditions with Western values.
• It is not an attack on traditional leaders or lawful initiation schools.
• It is a call to protect life while preserving tradition.

Culture should never be used to justify negligence, abuse, unsafe conditions, or preventable deaths. We can preserve our traditions while ensuring that every initiate returns home safely.

Reality Check 

Across South Africa, illegal initiation schools continue to operate. Every year we hear reports of:

• Deaths;
• Dehydration;
• Assault;
• Abuse;
• Negligence;
• Medical complications;
• Permanent disabilities; and
• Families losing sons who should have returned home alive.

These tragedies are preventable. No parent should send a healthy child to initiation and receive a body instead.

 My belief 

• I believe in our culture.
• I believe initiation teaches responsibility, discipline, resilience, respect, and cultural identity.
• However, I also believe every boy has the constitutional rights to life, dignity, healthcare, and protection from abuse.
• Tradition and safety are not enemies. They can and must exist together.

How can we protect our boys?

Medical Oversight

I call on Government to strengthen medical oversight by ensuring that:

Only appropriately qualified and registered healthcare professionals provide medical care and oversee the health and safety aspects of initiation schools.

Mandatory comprehensive medical screening is conducted before initiation to determine whether an initiate is medically fit to participate.

Pre-initiation health assessments include screening for chronic illnesses, dehydration-related conditions, and voluntary, confidential screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, with informed consent, pre- and post-test counselling, and confidentiality in accordance with South African law and medical ethics.

The purpose of medical screening is to identify health conditions early, provide appropriate treatment where necessary, and reduce preventable illness, complications, and deaths—not to discriminate against any initiate.

Medical monitoring continues throughout the initiation period.

Every initiate receives a post-initiation medical examination, appropriate medication, wound care, and follow-up treatment to ensure full recovery.

Medical emergencies are treated immediately, and no initiate is denied emergency healthcare because of cultural practices or unnecessary delays.

The Department of Health establishes partnerships with reputable healthcare institutions, including organisations such as Man’s Clinic, public hospitals, private healthcare providers, universities, and other organisations specialising in men’s health.

These partnerships provide:

• Health education before initiation;
• Voluntary STI and HIV counselling and testing;
• Medical referrals where necessary;
• Treatment for infections and complications;
• Mental health support;
• Sexual and reproductive health education;
• Post-initiation medical care; and
• Ongoing awareness programmes promoting healthy lifestyles among young men.

Healthcare partnerships complement—not replace—the role of traditional leaders, ensuring that culture and modern healthcare work together to protect the lives, dignity, and wellbeing of every initiate.

Minimum Health and Safety Standards

Government and traditional leaders must work together to ensure every registered initiation school provides:

• Adequate shelter;
• Warm blankets;
• Suitable clothing;
• Clean drinking water;
• Nutritious food;
• First-aid equipment;
• Essential medication;
• Access to qualified healthcare         professionals;
• Proper sanitation facilities; and
• Appropriate post-initiation healthcare.

No initiate should be subjected to unsafe or life-threatening conditions in the name of culture.

A National 24-Hour Hotline

Government should establish a dedicated national hotline to report:

• Illegal initiation schools;
• Abuse;
• Assault;
• Medical emergencies;
• Neglect;
• Unsafe conditions; and
• Any threat to the safety and wellbeing of initiates.

Reports should receive immediate investigation, and whistle-blowers must be protected from intimidation or retaliation.

Support for Bereaved Families

Families who lose loved ones because of illegal initiation schools, negligence, abuse, or preventable medical complications deserve:

• Psychological counselling;
• Grief support;
• Assistance in obtaining justice;
• Legal support where appropriate; and
• Consideration of financial assistance where negligence or unlawful conduct contributed to the loss. No family should carry this burden alone.

Stronger Regulation and Accountability

The Department of Health, COGTA, the Department of Social Development, law-enforcement agencies, traditional leaders, municipalities, and community structures must work together to:

• Register all initiation schools;
• Conduct regular inspections;
• Monitor compliance with health and safety standards;
• Close illegal initiation schools;
• Investigate all deaths, abuse, assaults, and negligence;
• Prosecute those responsible where laws have been broken; and
• Hold all responsible individuals accountable when preventable injuries or deaths occur.
• Traditional leaders and government must work together to preserve initiation as a respected, safe, and lawful cultural institution.

A Call to the Media 

• We also call upon South Africa’s media to do more than simply report annual death statistics. 
• Continue investigating illegal initiation schools.
• Follow up on criminal cases.
• Hold government departments accountable. 
• Give bereaved families a voice.
• Use your platforms not only to report tragedy but also to drive lasting reform and help protect future generations.

In conclusion

We should never have to choose between preserving our culture and protecting our children.

A man’s decision to be circumcised is a personal choice and should never be the result of pressure or coercion. Women should respect that choice just as they expect their own bodily autonomy to be respected.

Instead of pressuring men to undergo circumcision, let us encourage healthy conversations, regular medical check-ups, safe sexual practices, and mutual support within relationships. Protect your husband, your future husband, your son, your brother, and the men in your life by promoting informed decisions, not forced ones.

We can preserve tradition while protecting life.

We can honour our customs while demanding accountability.

We can ensure that every boy who enters initiation returns home alive, healthy, and proud.

I therefore I call upon the Government of South Africa, traditional leaders, civil society organisations, healthcare professionals, the media, and every South African citizen to support stronger regulation, proper oversight, quality healthcare, and meaningful accountability within initiation schools.