He wanted to graduate into manhood, but instead, he died mysteriously at the initiation school one day after he was admitted. He was only nine years old and it was not clear why he was admitted, because he was underaged.

Now, the grieving father of Nkhiphitheni Nehelula of Guyuni – Dzumbama village, north of Thohoyandou, wants answers from the owners of the initiation school because he claims his son was healthy when he was admitted to the school on Wednesday. Sources allege that the poor boy died as a result of heavy bleeding on Thursday night. He was one of the 113 initiates admitted at the Mabila village initiation school. The initiation school is legal.

According to Section 7 of the Northern Province Circumcision Schools Act, No 6 of 1996, no person below the age of 12 can be admitted at an initiation school. The act further indicates that an initiation school must not admit an initiate below the age of 21 without prior consent of the parent or guardian. The Initiation Schools Regulations say all initiates must be admitted during the first week of the establishment of the school, but the young boy was admitted three weeks thereafter.

The youngest of the three children in the family, Nkhiphitheni was a Grade 2 learner at Luphephe Primary School. His parents were supposed to celebrate when he would have been released this coming Saturday, but instead, it will be the day on which his funeral will take place.

The dead boy’s father, Nndwakhulu (57), said he initially wanted to take the boy to the doctor for circumcision. “I was at work when his mother Margaret called me and told me that the boy should go to the bush. I resisted but his mother insisted. He was taken there in my absence and I later got a call that he had died a day later. He was such a jolly, intelligent and healthy boy, who did not deserve to die soon, because we were expecting a lot from him when he grew up.”

Mr Samson Nehelula (61), a family member who was at the initiation school when the boy died, said: “After he was ‘operated’ on, the boy started vomiting and complained of dizziness. He was given soft porridge and water several times, but his condition deteriorated. He died a painful death on Thursday evening before he could realize his dream of becoming a proper man.”

Sources say environmental health officers went for inspection at the initiation school on Thursday at about 15:00 and they were allegedly given the impression that all the boys were fine. They say Nkhiphitheni’s condition became worse shortly after he was operated on Wednesday. Surprisingly, the environmental health officers were called on Thursday night and told that the boy was in a coma and they were requested to organize an ambulance. Unfortunately, when the ambulance came, the boy was no longer breathing and his body was cold…

Vhembe police spokesperson Supt Ailwei Mushavhanamadi confirmed the incident. “We have registered an inquest docket following the boy’s death at the initiation school.”

Mushavhanamadi said no arrests were made because police are still waiting for the results of the post-mortem. “The results of the post-mortem will guide us about the next step to take in connection with the case.”

The chairperson of the Initiation Schools Task Team, which is under the House of Traditional Leaders in Limpopo, Kgoshi Sefogole Makgeru, was shocked by the death of the boy. “The boy’s age and the time at which he was admitted at the school are of very serious concern to us. We will recommend that appropriate measures be taken after we receive the full report of the incident. I hope the measures that will be taken will help curb deaths at our initiation schools in future.”