The death toll in the Eastern Cape’s winter circumcision season has risen to three, the provincial health department said on Thursday. Spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said police who raided an illegal circumcision school in the Ntabankulu area of Transkei at the weekend had discovered the body of a 22 year old initiate.
“He was buried in the forest,” Kupelo said, “It was not even a proper burial: they just dug a shallow hole and put branches on top.” Police were investigating the cause of death, which was at this stage not known.
Kupelo said there had been about 95 initiates at the school, set up in deep bush. Most of them had fled along with the men running the school, while four had been returned to their parents. Kupelo said a man operating an illegal school in the Libode area was arrested on Thursday morning.
A 15 year old youth from that school died last Friday after being admitted to hospital in Port St Johns. Kupelo said local chiefs were also keen to impose a traditional sentence on the man, who had had previous brushes with the law. Six other people have been arrested so far this season for performing circumcisions illegally or running unregistered schools.
A total of 34 youths were admitted to various hospitals, including nine who had tried to circumcise themselves. Five of the 34 were in a critical condition, and would be transferred to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha. Post circumcision hospital admissions were usually as the result of septicaemia of the wound, or dehydration.
Issued by: Department of Health, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
19 June 2009
Source: Department of Health, Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecdoh.gov.za)
