Contralesa livid after 21 botched circumcisions in Limpopo
Mokoena said while he could not divulge the nature of the challenges encountered at the affected schools, he insisted that precautionary measures be regularly followed.
'The initiation school is a sacred place that has its own secrets,' he said. 'It will be uncultured for me to get into the goings-on of what transpired there. However, I must emphasise that health and safety measures cannot be overlooked. We are calling on traditional leaders and operators of initiation schools to obey the legislation governing these institutions.'
A resident of Mapela bemoaned the escalating number of dubious initiation schools in the area.
Nkholo Lamalo said initiation schools have been turned into moneymaking schemes.
'This rite of passage is dangerous because safety measures are not obeyed,' he said. 'I went there in the 1980s when I was still young, when health procedures were frequently overlooked. When I took my two nephews to the same school two years ago, the same health hazard and questionable procedures continued. Initiation schools are just another form of business.'
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