Zwelithini revealed at the controversial bull killing ‘€“ ukweshwama ‘€“ in Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday that he was going to revive circumcision within the Zulu nation and that medical doctors would be involved in the ritual.

The South African National AIDS Council and the health department are in the process of finalising the country’€™s policy and guidelines on medical male circumcision which will be added to the HIV prevention basket.

COSATU spokesperson Patrick Craven quoted clinical trials from Kenya, South Africa and Uganda which have found that men who have been circumcised are up to 60% less likely to become infected with HIV.

‘€œThe King’€™s decision could therefore lead to a substantial reduction in HIV infection, especially in the KwaZulu Natal province which currently has the highest incidence,’€ said Craven.

Traditional circumcision was banned by King Shaka, who believed the time it took to heal kept too many young warriors away from their military duties in his army.

‘€œBut King Zwelithini has been prepared to end nearly two centuries of tradition in the interest of saving lives, and the federation notes that the practice of circumcision among Zulus will be done by medical practitioners to avoid unnecessary deaths,’€ said Craven.

COSATU agreed in the statement with KwaZulu-Natal premier Dr Zweli Mkhize who said that although circumcision would assist in the fight against the pandemic, ‘€œon its own it does not prevent the spread of sexual transmitted diseases.”

‘€œFor the rate of infection to come down, responsible sexual behaviour and the use of condoms is just as necessary for circumcised men,’€ the trade union said.

It called upon all sections of society to re-examine all their cultural practices in the light of the HIV/Aids threat and to ask for example whether the normal age for circumcision of 22 to 24 is not far too late to prevent infection among boys who normally become sexually active many years earlier.

Click here to read the Treatment Action Campaign’s policy brief on voluntary male circumcision.