KUGOMPO CITY - The Eastern Cape has recorded 14 deaths during the Winter Initiation Season, four fewer than Mpumalanga.
Among the biggest culprits are illegally established schools that don't comply with health and safety regulations.
To make matters worse for authorities, many of these schools are hidden away in remote areas, which are hard to find.
The tradition has been described as something that's become a death trap for many young initiates.
Some have even said the practice of traditional circumcision will continue to see more lives being lost unless the old ways of doing things start to change.
While the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) continues to grapple with the unscrupulous behaviour of some individuals, others argue they are relying too much on modern medicine to heal young initiates and are sidelining traditional medicine and culture.
Cogta said that at least 40 people were arrested, 58 illegal initiation schools shut down, and 116 criminal cases opened.
While those numbers reflect that authorities are trying to clamp down on those choosing to put children's lives at risk at the expense of making money, the reality remains that one life lost is still far too many.
eNCA's Ronald Masinda reports in the video above.