At least 41 young men have died as a result of circumcision procedures as part of traditional initiation activities in South Africa in November and December, authorities said Tuesday.
South Africa’s Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa told local broadcasters Tuesday that 41 initiates died during this year’s summer initiation. He blamed negligence on the part of both the initiation schools, including registered ones, and parents for not adhering to safety standards and medical advice.
Hlabisa said some of the unproven advice often given to the young men is to avoid drinking water in order to heal faster.
Circumcision is also practiced by a large variety of non-Jewish, non-Muslim societies, especially in Africa and parts of Austronesia. And many forms of it in those cultures are far more dangerous and damaging than just snipping off a bit of foreskin: in particuar, subincision.
The same goes even more for female genital mutilation, which is practiced in some Muslim countries, despite most sects of Islam forbidding the practice. And again, it’s also practiced in a large number of non-Muslim cultures in the region too (where it probably originated).
Yea, in Africa it’s kinda weird since it’s cultural, but not religious.
None of these populations count for shit though when western countries try to ban genital mutilation