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South African coming-of-age initiations
Health Check
Jan 28, 2026

For some communities in South Africa coming-of-age initiations are a hugely significant moment, but there have been rising concerns over the safety of the circumcisions at the heart of this ritual. Forty-eight young men died last year and the government are now introducing measures to tackle the issue. BBC’s southern Africa correspondent Pumza Fihlani reports on the latest.

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26min 28sec

South African coming-of-age initiations

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