Three more boys have died as a result of botched circumcisions in the Eastern Cape, bringing the death toll over the past few weeks to 12.
Provincial health department spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said a 14-year-old from an illegal initiation school at Zele in the Libode area died on arrival at Libode’s St Barnabas hospital on Monday evening.
Two other boys died on Monday afternoon at illegal schools at Lutshaya village near Port St Johns, and at Kwagcuda in the Lusikisiki area.
The traditional surgeon who ran the school where the 14-year-old was circumcised, 53-year-old Mtshiyelwa Ndoda, appeared in the Libode Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning on charges under the province’s circumcision law.
He was denied bail, and will appear again on July 19.
Kupelo said another boy had died earlier at Ndoda’s school, and a third had to have his gangrenous penis amputated.
Though Ndoda appeared on Tuesday only on the circumcision charges, police have opened a murder docket. Ndoda was convicted last year of running an illegal initiation school and given a three-year suspended jail sentence.
Kupelo said health department officials and police on Monday rescued about five boys from an illegal school at Zandkwana village near Libode.
Three of the boys are now in a critical condition in hospital with gangrenous penises.
Raids will continue in the Libode area on Tuesday, and the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders will be deploying about 20 senior traditional leaders to Pondoland from Thursday to talk to parents and traditional leaders in the areas where illegal circumcision is continuing.
The Eastern Cape’s circumcision law says schools and traditional surgeons and nurses must all be registered, and that boys must be at least 18 years old to participate.
Meanwhile, Libode police are investigating a murder charge after relatives on Tuesday reported the death of Mzuvukile Jokwe (35) of Ngolo village, who was forcibly circumcised by a group of men on the night of June 24.
Kupelo said Jokwe apparently died immediately after the circumcision, which appeared to be an act of victimisation.
Similar problems in Limpopo
Fifteen boys were admitted to the Tshilidzini hospital in Limpopo last week after botched circumcisions, the Limpopo health department said.
Departmental spokesperson Phuti Seloba said the boys were admitted after they were found in a serious condition at an illegal private clinic at Ha-Ramukhuba in the Vuwani district, near Thohoyandou, on Sunday afternoon.
”The department got a tip-off about an illegal circumcision school and went to investigate. That’s when they found the boys,” said Seloba.
Sebola called on parents to act responsibly and take their children to properly registered circumcision schools.
”The department is tired of this kind of irresponsible behaviour from parents. There are registered, fully functioning circumcision schools in the province and parents are aware of them,” said Seloba.
”Workshops were conducted in the province to educate parents about the schools, but it seems they prefer backdoor circumcisions, which are very dangerous and painful.”
Seloba said the department is investigating possible ways to deal with people operating illegal circumcision schools.
Call for task force
Last week, the National House of Traditional Leaders (NHTL) called on the government to establish a special task force to deal with deaths in traditional initiation schools.
”The NHTL is concerned that the current monitoring measures that are in place are not sufficient to deal with these problems. We therefore appeal to government to consider the establishment of a special task force to do monitoring,” said NHTL spokesperson Sibusiso Nkosi last Wednesday.
Further, permits for traditional surgeons should be issued by traditional councils instead of the Department of Health, Nkosi said.
Traditional leaders and their communities are concerned about the latest casualties of young initiates, and the infliction of grievous bodily harm to them currently taking place around the country — especially in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.
”We support the efforts of the police and the provincial health departments to get rid of these bogus initiation schools that are busy claiming the lives of our innocent children, while making a mockery of our culture,” Nkosi said.
”This has brought shame and doubt to our practice. We commend the swift action of arresting these traditional surgeons who are violating the current legislations.”
Nkosi said the NHTL is encouraged that the Department of Health is involved in determining the fitness of initiates, monitoring of their healing process and training of traditional surgeons.
”Moreover, we recommend that the sentences of those who don’t abide to laws should be 25 years to life with no option of a fine.”
Nkosi said the NHTL will meet President Thabo Mbeki on July 15 in Pretoria, and ”this crucial issue will form part of our agenda”. — Sapa