To cut off or not to cut off ...

MAKHADO – Many parents try to remain true to their culture by taking their children to initiation schools, but after realising that dozens of young boys are faced with misery and even death at these initiation schools, large numbers of parents are now using the "safe" way by taking their boys to medical practitioners.

When Mirror visited the premises of a well-known practitioner, Dr E Labuschagne, at the corner of Anderson and Songozwi Streets in Makhado, parents from Sinthumule, Kutama, Nzhelele, Ha-Tshivhase and Malamulele were standing in long queues without losing interest.

Boys between the ages of 7 and 18 are the biggest clientele and in a single day, the doctor can circumcise more than sixty young boys. According to Mrs Martha Poedycia Ramabulana, assistant nurse to Dr Labuschgane, the boys will recover within five days.

"Early this year, the Department of Health and Welfare conducted workshops with the principals of initiation schools in an attempt to bring the deathtoll down in the initiation schools. In addition, it was made clear that Environmental officials would visit all initiation schools to check if equipment used in the schools are hygienic. It was said that any Initiation school principal who failed to comply with the rules laid out by the Department, would face severe punishment.