23men and boys were killed or retual cercumsision

                      
         23, aged between 13 and 21 — died in various places across the country’s northeastern Mpumalanga province over the course of a week.
We have opened 22 cases of murder and one of inquest," regional police spokesman Leonard Hlathi   told AFP.

One of the deaths  WHICH TOOK PLACE,was labelled "inquest" because the boy reportedly had an existing health condition.
There have been no arrests yet as police compile statements and await postmortem  results.
Ritual circumcision is common among South Africa’s ethnic Xhosa, Sotho and Ndebele ethnic groups.


in a so called  initiation schools in South Africa are common, with several hundred cases recorded in recent years due to bleeding and infections.
Boys spend around a month in  bush or mountains areas for the sessions that also include lessons on the virtues of masculine courage and discipline.
There are usually two circumcision seasons , in winter during the months of May through July and in summer between November and December.


Government and the ruling African National Congress Party have expressed concern at the deaths which have nonetheless sparked little  in public.
A spokeswoman Phumla Williams called on the initiation schools, to ensure that precautionary health measures are exercised during this period to minimize illnesses and death."
Minister in The Presidency for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Collins Chabane said he was saddened by the loss of young lives.

The "loss of several young lives in Mpumalanga  this period, and elsewhere in the country is regrettable," Chabane. TPOO BAD.