Two boys die in illegal initiation schools in Gauteng

Gauteng police are investigating two cases involving two boys who died at illegal initiation schools in Tshwane and Ekurhuleni.

The children were apparently part of a group of 138 boys who were abducted in Gauteng and taken to eight illegal initiation schools in the province between May 2 and June 14.

The first boy died on June 8 in Spaarwater, near Duduza, in Ekurhuleni while the second died two days later on June 10 in Cullinan, Tshwane.

Kiba Kekana, spokesperson for Gauteng Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee — which falls under the department of co-operative governance and traditional affairs — said the causes of the boys’ deaths were not yet known and an inquest was under way.

 “On June 8 2024, one initiate regrettably lost his life at an illegal initiation school in Ekurhuleni. A second initiate died at a separate illegal initiation school on 10th June 2024 in the City of Tshwane. 

“Both fatalities are under investigation by the SAPS. The rescued initiates were all taken back to their homes after medical examinations,” he said.

So far, said Kekana, principals of those illegal schools from Garankuwa, Mashimong, Cullinan and Witpoortjie had been arrested and charged with operating illegal schools. He said they could not find the other four as they had already fled when police arrived.

Kekana also explained that the parents of the abducted children did not raise the alarm as these schools were run by “initiation mafias” who were demanding between R1,000 and R3,000.

“They are reluctant to go to the police and report these mafias and open cases. They will just report to the local initiation committee.

“They are initiation mafias because they want to run these sacred cultural practices outside the law,” he said.

The initiation season in Gauteng started over the weekend to coincide with the schools' winter holidays and any other school that was operating before then, was doing so illegally, Kekana said.

“The winter initiation season commenced on 15 June 2024 and will run until 8 July 2024. 

This period is aligned with the department of education’s school calendar. The Gauteng Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee (PICC) recommended a total of 99 for legal initiation schools during this winter Initiation season, 10 for females and 89 for males.”

Kekana said they had received 152 applications and 53 were rejected as they did not comply with regulations.

One of the conditions includes screening the children medically first, he said. 

“The Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee wishes to encourage any parent or guardian to report their concerns to Lebogang Bogopane at 079 5240736 and Warren Nemaenzhe at 079 696028,” said Kekana.

Spokesperson for the Gauteng police Lt-Col Mavela Masondo said they had also arrested a 27-year-old man and charged him with kidnapping after he allegedly kept four teenage boys, aged between 15 and 19 against their will at an unregistered initiation school.

Masondo said the boys were reported missing in Orange Farms, south of Johannesburg, and a police investigation revealed that they might have been taken to an illegal initiation school in nearby Ennerdale.

“On Tuesday, 11 June 2024, police together with some community members, pounced on the illegal initiation school and found four boys who were allegedly kept against their will. The man, who was found with the teenage boys, was arrested and charged with kidnapping,” Masondo said.

Meanwhile, four initiates have died in the Eastern Cape since the start of the initiation season on May 29.

Eastern Cape Cogta spokesperson Pheello Oliphant told Sowetan that three of the four boys had died at illegal schools.

“To date three culprits have been arrested for illegally circumcising underage boys. They have been remanded in custody.

“As the provincial government, we appeal to parents to look after their teenagers and protect them from being stolen by the local hoodlums and taken to initiation schools.

“This is an unfortunate and regrettable situation that each initiation season unwarranted deaths of the initiates occur,” Oliphant said.