Two years on, heartbroken mother fights for justice after son’s tragic death at initiation school 

In December 2022, Nkosinathi Gumbi from Extension 3 tragically died at an initiation school after falling severely ill.

Nkosinathi’s mother Ntsoaki Gumbi, is urging SAPS to treat initiation school deaths with urgency and hold those responsible accountable. She’s also calling on the government to step in and take action to prevent more tragic losses.

Ntsoaki, shared her painful experience with Orange Farm News, revealing that her son was left untreated for days before he passed. She said: “My son went to initiation school without our permission. He disappeared and we only found out from other boys that he had gone to the wrong initiation school. We tried to bring him back, but they refused, saying rituals had already been performed and it would be dangerous for him to leave. We had no choice but to let him stay and paid R2 000.”

One day, Ntsoaki received a call from the initiation school owner, who claimed Nkosinathi had been taken to a hospital for treatment. However, this turned out to be false. Shortly after, she received the devastating news of his death.“I couldn’t believe it. My only son, who was loved by everyone because of his kind heart, was gone. He used to help me in the garden and was such a caring soul. I opened a case, but to this day, no one has been held accountable. It hurts to think of the horrible way he died,” she said.

The grieving mother believes her son may have been dead for days before his passing was reported.“Why did they lie about taking him to the hospital? What did he eat that caused his stomach to swell and vomit black substances? When his grandmother saw him at the mortuary, his stomach was green and rotting, with a foul-smelling liquid oozing from it. We deserve answers, and he deserves justice. Parents need to be alert, especially during initiation school season,” Ntsoaki continued.

A post-mortem report revealed the horrific conditions surrounding Nkosinathi’s death. He was found lying face-up on the ground, with black vomit coming from his mouth and nose. The examination revealed severe abdominal issues, including a strangulated small intestine.

Tsoaki’s call for justice extends beyond her own son. She added: “We can’t continue to lose our children at these schools without accountability. I believe this practice should be stopped altogether; it’s no longer done with respect and has become a business where children are dying.”