By Thapelo Molefe
The recent initiation season in the Eastern Cape has been marked by tragedy, with 14 young initiates losing their lives in various districts across the province.
According to acting secretary of the House of Traditional Leaders, Vuyo Stofile, the deaths occurred in OR Tambo, Port St Johns, Ngqeleni, Libode, Mqanduli, Tsolo, Mhlontlo, Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City and Amathole Stofile said that dehydration was identified as a leading cause of death, often due to the harmful myth amongst initiates that drinking water would hinder the healing process.
“We lose most initiates in the first week of initiation and what we have picked up when doing our assessment, we found that during this time dehydration is very much prevalent as the cause of death of initiates,” he said.
“We found that they practice not to drink water for maybe three weeks before they go to the initiation school
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