01.09.2026 14:41
Gangs in South Africa have ensnared the traditional "Ulwaluko" circumcision rituals, kidnapping children aged 10-12 to build a massive ransom network. In these illegal camps, which have come under scrutiny for unanesthetized procedures and deaths, 43 children have died this year, and 93 died last year.
In the Southeast Cape region of South Africa, the circumcision rituals traditionally symbolizing the transition to adulthood in Xhosa culture (Ulwaluko) have turned into a dangerous source of profit in the hands of criminal gangs. Recent reports from the region reveal that gangs are targeting children between the ages of 10 and 12, establishing an illegal ransom network.
ABDUCTION, VIOLENCE, AND RANSOM
According to information from security sources and local authorities, organized criminal groups kidnap young children and take them to illegal camps set up in mountainous and unlicensed areas. Gang members forcibly circumcise the children and then contact families, demanding large sums as 'ceremony and care fees.' Children of families who cannot pay the ransom or who alert law enforcement are severely beaten, and in some cases, threatened with death.
93 CHILDREN HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES
This year, local media reported that 43 children were killed during ceremonies, while in 2024, a total of 93 children died during the combined winter and summer rituals, and 11 children had their genitals amputated; some fraudulent 'surgeons' were found to have operated without anesthesia.
INCREASED INSPECTIONS
Human rights organizations and traditional leaders are calling on the government and security forces to take urgent action against both the corruption of this deep-rooted culture and violations of children's rights. It has been reported that local law enforcement has increased inspections of illegal camps in the region.