Harmful traditional practices, (male circumcision - Electronic Thesis ...

CHAPTER 5: RECOMMENDATIONS.
71
The potential risk of physical injuries and deaths associated with circumcisions
have been discussed in detail in the preceding chapters. In response to these
concerns, the South African Human Rights Commission together with the
Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious
and Linguistic Communities and the National House of Traditional Leaders have
decided to host National Public Hearings on initiation schools. 233 The decision to
host the hearings had emanated from the Traditional Initiation Schools
Conference and the South African Human Rights Commission workshop on
initiation schools held in May 2004. 234
The hearings will focus on issues pertaining to the death and injury of initiates
and contain the following terms of reference:
(1) To determine the cause of the high number of fatalities and penile amputees
in initiation schools,
(2) To assess whether the current legislative framework and policy provisions
relating to initiation schools are sufficient to address the current crises as
well as the minimum age required for initiates,
(3) To investigate the high number of deaths and other human rights violations
associated with initiation schools and whether any convictions had taken
place,
233 Author unknown, “Terms of Reference of Public Hearings on Initiation Schools,” at p 4.
Available online at http://www.pmg.org.za/gazette/060922initiationpdf. Accessed 10 October
2006.
234 Ibid at p 3.