S. Africa cracks down on illegal initiation schools

South African authorities have intensified a crackdown on illegal initiation schools which are blamed for the deaths of 24 initiates, a government official said on Thursday.

In the crackdown, 1,100 initiates have been rescued from illegal initiation schools in the Eastern Cape Province alone since the start of the initiation season in early June, Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Obed Bapela said.

Of these initiates, 145 were hospitalised for injuries sustained from botched circumcisions, according to Bapela.

The Eastern Cape Province, which has the largest number of illegal initiation schools, has reported 21 deaths. The other three deaths were reported in Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces.

Obed Bapela was on an inspection visit to the Eastern Cape Province to ensure that initiation procedures meet health and safety standards.

Illegal initiation rituals, which do not meet health and safety standards, claims many lives in South Africa every year.

Over the past 10 years, 500 initiates have died while 300 have lost their manhood, official figures show.

Authorities have blamed illegal initiation schools for the growing number of circumcision-related deaths.

It is alleged that some boys are forced into circumcisions and suffer physical abuse at illegal initiation schools.

On Tuesday, Bapela said the government would criminalise the running of illegal initiation schools.

"We will not tolerate people who are running unauthorised schools or illegal schools. Our search is to get the law that can criminalise all illegal schools so that no deaths occur at any illegal schools," said Bapela.

According to local custom, circumcisions are normally viewed as a traditional passage for a young boy to enter manhood.

Authorities say illegal initiation schools have made a mess out of an ancient cultural practice. Endi