SOUTH AFRICA: Three arrested; youths in critical condition

South African Government
December 9, 2014

MEC Fikile Xasa on arrest of unlawful circumcision suspects

Three suspects arrested for unlawful circumcision
Cogta - MEC Fikile Xasa yesterday descended to the Mbizana Local Municipal area as part of monitoring the December traditional initiation season.

During his monitoring visit to traditional initiation schools, MEC Xasa pounced on two separate initiation schools and recued a total of 39 initiates in the Elurholweni village. Three suspects were arrested for kidnapping and unlawful circumcision. They are being held at the Mbizana Police Station.

“These were illegal schools that put the lives of our initiates at risk. We had no option rather to close them down and refer the initiates to the rescue centre in Port St Johns for further medical observation. As a caring government we want to save lives and put an end to the death of initiates,” said MEC Xasa.

None of the initiates had the required official documentation including letters from the local traditional leaders, no premedical examination and no parental consent to undergo the traditional initiation ritual. Their amabhoma were destroyed to prevent them being used as other illegal initiation schools.

The MEC was accompanied by members of the Traditional Initiation Forum (TIF), members of the SAPS, traditional leaders and government officials.

Some of the rescued initiates were in critical conditions hence given immediate medical attention by officials from the department of Health.

MEC Xasa encourages the community of Mbizana and other hot spot areas to work together through the establishment of TIF to end the deaths of initiates.