One of Limpopo's well-known circumcision surgeons, Maine Vho-Mashudu Tshikororo, has made a call on the government to take harsh steps against illegal surgeons before many boys lose their lives.
Tshikororo's call comes amidst the ever-increasing number of initiates who die in the process of getting circumcised, especially in the Eastern Cape. It is about a month after the return of boys who have been to the mountains during the school holidays.
Limpopo hosted more than 450 circumcision schools and no casualties were reported in any of the schools. The situation was, however, far different in other provinces. In the Eastern Cape, several boys lost their lives in the process of being circumcised. This has angered many who had been in the trade for some years, and they have blamed the deaths on illegal schools and unqualified, ignorant and irresponsible traditional surgeons.
Tshikororo (60) of Makwarela Extension, who inherited the trade from his father at the age of seven and has hosted more than 20 very successful schools, says long jail sentences could serve as a deterrent to scare would-be chance takers in the age-old tradition. "Innocent boys are dying unnecessarily, because of greedy individuals who know nothing about this tradition and practice. How long should we wait for this to come to an end?"
He added that many parents were now afraid to entrust them with their children because of the deaths in some other areas. "Circumcision is a rite of passage for the boys to become men and we teach them how to be responsible men who would take care of their families. Something needs to be done before the tradition of our forefathers is phased out for good," he said.
Tshikororo, who is a retired correctional official and knows about the deterrent effects of jail, said long jail sentences could scare people from engaging in the circumcision of boys without being qualified to do so.
"Transgressors of the set rules should be dealt with accordingly and should be punished heavily. Give them harsh sentences and jail will make them toe the line. Our culture must not be derailed and captured by greedy individuals."
Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders chairperson Kgoshi Malesela Dikgale said they had systems in place that all circumcision schools must adhere to and that these were bearing fruits as all the schools had run smoothly each year.