Eastern Cape circumcision death toll hits 31
The death toll in the Eastern Cape’s winter circumcision season has risen to 31, the provincial health department said on Friday.
“Losing lives this way, it’s not on,” said spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo.
“If people die from a plane crash, it becomes a national concern. But with these deaths it looks as if it’s business as usual on the part of the community.”
He said the latest fatalities were two youths who died on Friday morning at an illegal initiation school near Nogaya village, between Qumbu and Libode.
“Their bodies are still lying there,” he said.
Another boy died on Thursday night, also at an illegal school, in the Ntabankulu area.
Kupelo said provincial minister Phumulo Masualle was deeply concerned at the rising death toll.
The department was sending additional health workers into the Pondoland area, where the problem was worst, to monitor legal schools, identify illegal schools and provide medical help where necessary.
Masualle would also meet his top management to discuss what additional measures could be taken.
All but a few of the 31 deaths had been of initiates who were attending illegal schools.
The most common causes of death are septicaemia from infected wounds, and dehydration, which happens when initiates are denied water by their handlers.
Many more youths are hospitalised with gangrenous penises, often losing parts or all of their genitalia.
Kupelo said communities needed to acknowledge their actions and inaction contributed to the deaths.
“The department is not the problem.
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“Whatever we do, if there’s no will from the community, our goal to achieve a zero death rate will remain a problem.
“When we go to those areas, they start by hiding the boys. They only contact us when nothing can be done, when their condition has deteriorated past medical help.”
He said it was vital that parents take responsibility for their youngsters by closely monitoring the whole initiation ritual, and reporting illegal schools.
“The fact is that parents are not looking after their children,” he said. “They should know that if their boys go missing at this time of year, the possibility is they have been taken to the mountain.”—Sapa
