JOHANNESBURG - The winter initiation season has claimed 43 lives across South Africa, with authorities arresting 40 people, shutting down 58 illegal initiation schools and opening 116 criminal cases.
The highest number of deaths has been recorded in Mpumalanga, where 18 initiates have died. The Eastern Cape has reported 14 deaths, followed by the North West (4), Limpopo (3), Gauteng (2) and the Free State (2).
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa said consequence management would be intensified against those who fail to meet their responsibilities.
"We can't lose so many young people every season. This is something that can be avoided,"
He also urged parents to take greater responsibility when choosing initiation schools for their children, warning against sending them to unsafe and illegal facilities.
"We cannot say it is the responsibility of the government. The government is doing all it can, but now we need to take the ball to the court of the parents and effectively arrest them," he said.
"Parents cannot be left outside to carry the responsibility fully."