SAPS are probing the death of an initiate in eMalahleni
According to the police, preliminary investigations suggest that the initiate had complications after he had allegedly consumed traditional herbs.
A 16-year-old initiate from a local initiation school died on July 3 after being admitted to hospital with complications allegedly linked to traditional herbs.
According to Vosman SAPS, the officer deployed to ingoma-related cases received a call from the initiation school principal notifying him of the death. Police confirmed that the boy had initially been admitted to one hospital before being transferred to a second facility, where he later died.
READ MORE: 51-year-old arrested over initiation school incident appears in court
The parents told police that their son’s condition worsened after he allegedly consumed herbs during the initiation process. His health deteriorated, leading to his hospitalisation and eventual transfer before his passing.
Police further confirmed that the initiate’s body was first taken to a private mortuary before being fetched and transported to a government mortuary for further investigations.
“An inquest has been opened, and the post-mortem should reveal the cause of death,” Vosman SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Vusi Mnisi said.
More than 700 initiates from the Nkangala District have safely returned home
— WitbankNews (@WitbankN) July 10, 2026
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