Back to the News 2007 page.SOUTH AFRICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION, Monday, December 3, 2007.
December 03, 2007, 14:30
The death toll in the Eastern Cape's summer
circumcision season has risen to three. Health
Department spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo says 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.
He says though the cause is not known, health
officials suspect dehydration. Following the death, a
22-year-old unregistered traditional surgeon has been
arrested and will be appearing in the Libode
Magistrate’s Court later this week.
Two other would-be initiates died last week; one at
Mthatha General Hospital and the other certified dead
on arrival at the hospital.
Kupelo says community members apprehended six
juveniles, one only 14 years old, who were allegedly
circumcising other boys in the Pondoland area. The six
have been handed over to police.
He says a team from the Eastern Cape House of
Traditional Leaders, the provincial health department
and the police will 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 is to move to the Port Elizabeth area next
week. - Sapa
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