In South Africa, 41 young men have died in recent weeks after circumcision procedures performed as part of traditional initiation ceremonies. Hundreds more have been hospitalized with complications, including infections, sepsis, and gangrene. Most cases have been recorded in the Eastern Cape, where the rite of passage into adulthood is practiced among the Xhosa people.

The procedures are often performed in unsanitary conditions by people without medical training. Authorities are attempting to regulate the practice, but the tradition is deeply ingrained, and families prefer to turn to elders rather than hospitals. Critics point to a lack of oversight and the reluctance of communities to change customs, even at the cost of young lives.