2009-12-21 News 24 - Two initiates die

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Two initiates die

Two initiates die

East London - The death toll in the Eastern Cape's summer circumcision season has risen to 23 following the deaths of two boys on Monday and over the weekend, said the provincial health department.

The first boy died at an initiation school in Maluti near Matatiele at the weekend while the other died on Monday afternoon in Lubisi village in eNgcobo, said spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo.

"We don't know what happened [to the initiate in Lubisi]... he just ran out of the initiation school and was discovered dead by initiates and carers who chased after him," said Kupelo.

An autopsy was to be conducted to establish the cause of death. Kupelo said the initiation school was legal.

The other boy's death was reported to the department on Monday morning, following his death at the weekend. It was not yet known if the initiation school was legally recognised or not.

Rescue

East London - The death toll in the Eastern Cape's summer circumcision season has risen to 23 following the deaths of two boys on Monday and over the weekend, said the provincial health department.

The first boy died at an initiation school in Maluti near Matatiele at the weekend while the other died on Monday afternoon in Lubisi village in eNgcobo, said spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo.

"We don't know what happened [to the initiate in Lubisi]... he just ran out of the initiation school and was discovered dead by initiates and carers who chased after him," said Kupelo.

An autopsy was to be conducted to establish the cause of death. Kupelo said the initiation school was legal.

The other boy's death was reported to the department on Monday morning, following his death at the weekend. It was not yet known if the initiation school was legally recognised or not.

Rescue

"We are investigating the cause of death and whether the school was legal or illegal," he said.

The two deaths brought to 80 the total number of boys who died in Eastern Cape initiation schools since the beginning of the year.

Last Wednesday, officials from the health department rescued 18 youths from illegal schools in the Maclear area following the deaths of four boys in Mthatha, Gompo, East London and Ndakana outside King William's Town.

The youths, suffering from complaints including dehydration, septicaemia and gangrene, were taken to hospitals in Maclear and Mthatha.

Kupelo said a total of 33 initiates were currently being treated at Mthatha's Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital.

He said the department was recruiting 33 more people from local communities to help in "fighting these illegal circumcision schools".

"We appeal to parents, community members and initiates to realise that if they don't go for safer circumcisions they will die. It's even worse when these boys lose their manhood," he said.

He said the department was also in the process of acquiring more 4X4 vehicles to help officials to access areas in the OR Tambo area or Pondoland.