The Eastern Cape department of health on Monday vowed to continue its crackdown on illegal circumcision schools after three officials were stoned and their vehicle damaged.
Monday’s attack took place during a raid on illegal initiation schools in Luthuthu village, near Cradock, said Eastern Cape departmental spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo.
He said 15 people have been arrested on assault charges in connection with Monday’s incident.
”We are determined to stop, and will continue to raid and close down, illegal initiation schools,” said Kupelo.
He appealed to the public not to view the department’s intervention as interfering with custom, ”but as a way of stopping unnecessary deaths”.
Kupelo said since the beginning of the year six youths have died from botched circumcisions, with two succumbing earlier on Monday from their wounds.
He said over the past couple of days 22 boys have been admitted to hospital following circumcision complications at the Transkei’s Mount Ayliff.
Another 27 from Qumbu, in the Transkei, were also admitted to hospital after allegedly being turned away from the traditional initiation school because they were too young. The boys then tried to circumcise themselves. — Sapa