South Africa clamps down on botched circumcisions
By the time winter has ended, thousands of young South African boys will have gone through a month-long traditional rite of passage and become men.
But becoming a man can be a life-threatening business. The ancient ritual has come under fire in recent years as health authorities report serious complications from botched circumcisions by traditional surgeons.
In the Eastern Cape, where circumcision is a source of pride for the Xhosa ethnic group, 12 initiates have died and more than 20 illegal traditional surgeons have been arrested in the last month. According to the provincial health department, nearly 100 youths were hospitalised, while 350 were rescued from "fly-by-night [initiation] schools".
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