The Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Zwelini Mkhize, this week met with Eastern Cape traditional leaders to discuss ways to curb further initiate deaths in the traditional ulwaluko ritual.

The country has seen a spike in deaths of initiates, particularly in the Eastern Cape.

This season, 34 deaths have been reported, 20 of them in the Eastern Cape. Eight initiates died in the Free State, three in North West, two in the Western Cape and one in the Northern Cape.

Mkhize’s office said the minister held a productive meeting with representatives of the National House of Traditional Leaders and the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders on the sidelines of the Xhosa Carnival celebrations, hosted by King Zwelonke Sigcau. The meeting took place at the Nqadu Great Place in Willowvale on Thursday.