A traditional rite of passage meant to usher boys into manhood has ended in tragedy in South Africa, with 39 boys confirmed dead and several others left mutilated after undergoing circumcision during this year’s Ulwaluko ceremony.

The ancient ritual, widely practiced by the Xhosa community, involves circumcision and isolation in initiation camps, marking the transition from boyhood to manhood. However, the 2025 edition has once again cast a harsh spotlight on the dangers of unregulated and illegal initiation schools.

Authorities blame the alarming death toll largely on these illegal centres, which are said to operate without proper oversight.

According to Sipho Mahlangu, Deputy Chair of the National House of Traditional Leaders, around 80% of the deaths and injuries recorded are linked to unregistered schools, where untrained individuals use crude tools such as rusted blades and old spears for the delicate procedure.

Many victims reportedly died from severe dehydration a disturbing tradition in which initiates are forced to avoid drinking water to prevent urination during healing. Others have suffered permanent injuries, including 11 cases of penis amputation in 2024 alone.

The South African government, alarmed by the rising casualties, has pledged to shut down illegal initiation camps and reduce their number by half from 429 currently by 2029. The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs had earlier set a bold target of zero deaths in registered schools by 2025, but this year’s outcome shows how far that goal remains.

Despite the dangers, many young men still feel pressured to take part. “I was scared,” 19-year-old Scotty Dawka once shared. “But I wanted to be seen as a man by my community. It was painful, I fell sick, but I survived.”

As the debate around the cultural rite continues, calls are growing for a more regulated and safer approach that preserves tradition without costing young lives.