In an incident that has shocked the Eastern Cape, two initiates and their elder brother, who was also their traditional nurse, were shot dead by unknown gunmen at their initiation school.
A fourth brother, also a traditional nurse, was seriously wounded and left for dead.
The incident took place at Mntla village near Ngqamakhwe shortly after 1am on Tuesday.
The initiates had been circumcised on Saturday.
Eastern Cape House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders chair Nkosi Mpumalanga Gwadiso, Amathole District Traditional Initiation Forum chair Nkosi Mzikayise Kaulela and the forum’s Mnquma local municipality chair Nkosi Phathuxolo Tyali expressed shock at the mass shooting
“This is barbaric ... They found them vulnerable and killed them mercilessly,” Gwadiso said.
He sent condolences to the families and wished the wounded victim a speedy recovery.
Tyali said he was shocked to receive a call from the police.
“I cannot believe people can be so cruel. My heart is bleeding.
“They cannot reduce our sacred rite into a killing spree,” he said.
Tyali rushed to the scene and met stakeholders and police.
Tyali said that forum members were to visit the bereaved family.
“The two initiates whose ages ranged between 18 and 20 died on the spot as they sustained injuries in the chest and head,” Tyali said.
“It is believed that at the time of the attack, the initiates were sleeping.
“As the forum, we were working hard to ensure safer initiation and even in the winter season we had no deaths and we were looking forward to again no deaths.
“Such criminals must be quickly arrested.
“They have insulted our sacred rite and killed young men who were aiming to be men of good moral fibre when they graduated.”
Though the reason for the killing is not known, there were suspicions of revenge attacks and issues of stock theft.
Mnquma municipality spokesperson Loyiso Mpalantshane said they were “shocked and saddened by this heinous attack on initiates”.
“The speaker Monica Qaba sent condolences to the victims’ family and called for the speedy arrest of the perpetrators.
“It goes against our culture that such a brutal act can happen, especially inside an initiation hut.
“We hope the police will quickly arrest the killers,” Mpalantshane said.
Provincial health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said: “Forensics collected the three bodies for further investigation.”
Cogta provincial spokesperson Mamnkeli Ngam said the incident was shocking.
“What happened is of very serious concern to the department, however, we are still in the process of gathering all relevant information and facts,” Ngam said.
Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nomthetheleli Mene condemned the shooting.
“The grandfather of the deceased was alerted of a shooting at an initiation school.
“The community went to investigate and found three males aged 18-26 years old fatally shot,” Mene said.
“We will do everything in our power to ensure accountability for this heinous act.”
The names of the deceased have not yet been released.
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