08-07-2025
Limpopo MEC Makamu saddened by death of initiate with underlying health condition
As the initiation season gets under way around the country, the Limpopo co-operative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs department has recorded the first death of an initiate.
Raymond Sekele, 19, died on Sunday at Philadelphia Hospital where he had been admitted after experiencing health problems while at Magakadimeng initiation school in the Sekhukhune district municipality.
Co-operative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs MEC Basikopo Makamu said: 'According to our monitoring report, Sekele's caregiver confirmed at the time of admission he was epileptic and receiving medical treatment for his condition. Sekele experienced an epileptic episode where he collapsed on July 2 and was attended to at the initiation school.'
Sekele fully recovered later the same day and resumed normal school activities without any further complaints.
'I got a report that an initiate failed to wake up with the other initiates on Sunday. However, it was not considered unusual as he was known to sleep longer than others. At about 8am the caregiver checked on him and found he was unresponsive and had weak breathing,' said Makamu.
