Another deadly winter initiation season
Nearly 50 young men have died during South Africa’s 2026 winter initiation season, as illegal schools proliferate and some traditional leaders block health workers from entering camps, a preliminary government report to Parliament reveals.“The meeting further agreed on interventions to strengthen law enforcement and consequence management for both illegal and legal initiation schools, in preparation for the 2026 summer initiation season,” the report says.
Illegal schools and blocked access to care Officials counted 115 illegal initiation schools in the 2026 winter season, up from 59 closed in 2025, with 42 shut down this year.
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