The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs was considering the regulation of initiation schools after reports of many boys dying from being circumcised at illegal initiation schools.

"The department has also submitted a policy paper on the traditional practice of initiation which seeks to introduce the accountability of traditional leaders for this practice, as well as look into the general management of initiation schools and the criminalisation and harsh sentencing for those found to be running illegal initiation schools," Minister Sicelo Shiceka said in a statement.

City Press reported on Sunday that dozens of young Xhosa initiates were dying in the Eastern Cape's bushes because of illegal initiation practices. Many survivors had to be rushed to hospital with mutilated penises, which had to be amputated to save their lives.

Shiceka said that he was still considering the paper on the regulation of the practice.

"The deaths are totally unnecessary. Parents need to talk to their children more about the serious risks they subject themselves to when they go to these illegal initiation schools, in the name of a long honoured cultural practice," said Shiceka.

"The police also must be even stronger in acting against those who bring this cultural practice into disrepute through greed and a complete disregard for tradition, resulting in the horrific deaths and maiming of our young people."

He said that if anyone was found to be running an initiation school without authorisation, police should arrest them immediately.

"Our young people should be encouraged to only attend legal and reputable initiation schools that have the blessings of local traditional leaders, government and their parents," he said.