South African schoolboy forcibly circumcised by older pupils
An 11-year-old boy was allegedly forcibly circumcised by four older pupils in a school toilet at Sinqobile Primary School in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria. The Grade 5 pupil was reportedly attacked during break time by Grade 7 pupils who held him down and cut off his foreskin. The Daily Mail reported that the boys threatened the victim against telling anyone. The boy's mother later noticed he was walking unusually and, after he complained of severe pain, took him to a doctor. She subsequently opened a criminal case, which the South African Police Service is investigating as assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. No arrests have been made. The Gauteng Department of Education stated the outcome of the police investigation would determine their action. The school's deputy principal, George Mahlangu, described the incident as disturbing. The incident occurs amidst concerns about unsafe circumcision practices, with 43 boys reportedly dying during a recent initiation season and illegal initiation schools linked to serious injuries and deaths. Traditional initiation practices, known as Ulwaluko, are a rite of passage in some South African communities, with legal schools operating under regulations, but illegal operations are associated with untrained practitioners and unsafe procedures.
