3 December 2007
The death toll in the Eastern Cape's summer circumcision season has risen to
three since the beginning of the season.
An 18-year-old youth died in the early hours of Sunday morning at an illegal
initiation school at Gxulu village in the Libode area. Though the cause was not
known, officials suspected dehydration.
Following the death, a 22-year-old unregistered traditional surgeon had been
arrested, and would appear in the Libode Magistrates Court. Two other would-be
initiates died last week, one at Mthatha General Hospital, and the other
certified dead on arrival at the hospital.
On Monday morning, community members apprehended six juveniles, one only 14
years old, who were allegedly circumcising other boys in the Pondoland area.
The six had been handed over to police.
A team from the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders, the provincial
health department, and the police would be in Pondoland this week to talk to
would- be initiates, communities and parents, in a bid to educate them on safe
circumcision. The team would move to the Port Elizabeth area next week.
Contact:
Sizwe Kupelo
Cell: 083 378 0196
Issued by: Department of Health, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
3 December 2007
Source: Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecdoh.gov.za)
