[Fwd: Piepie Snyman stuur groete]

The death toll in the Eastern Cape's winter **circumcision season**
(WTF???) has risen to 39, the provincial health department said on
Monday.

Spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said the latest deaths had occurred in the
Ntabankulu and Engcobo areas of the Transkei, and on farms in the Chris
Hani district, which includes Queenstown.

National Traditional Affairs Minister Sicelo Shiceka said at the weekend
he was considering regulating initiation schools after ongoing reports
of youths dying at illegal schools.

His department was also seeking harsh sentencing for those found to be
running illegal schools.

The Eastern Cape already has its own circumcision legislation, but says
prosecutions are sometimes hampered by a lack of co-operation from
communities and parents.