Mapaballo Borotho
- More than 20 boys have been rescued from illegal initiation schools in the Vaal and Westonaria since Friday.
- Some of the boys, aged 13 to 15, were allegedly taken without their families’ consent, and several illegal schools have been shut down.
- The Sedibeng Committee says it will continue its crackdown as the initiation season continues.
The Sedibeng Committee of Initiation Schools has reportedly rescued more than 20 boys from illegal initiation schools around the Vaal and Westonaria since Friday.
The committee says the rescue mission, carried out with the assistance of police, followed several families seeking help after their sons went missing. This comes shortly after the initiation school season opened last week.
Committee Chairperson Radikeledi Letuma says several illegal initiation schools in the Louisrus and Rietkuil areas have been shut down.
Some families said they could not afford the initiation process, and their children were allegedly taken to the schools against their will.
The committee reports that the rescued boys are between the ages of 13 and 15. Under the Customary Initiation Act of 2021, no one under 16 is permitted to attend an initiation school.
The Sedibeng Committee of Initiation Schools has vowed to continue cracking down on illegal initiation schools as the season progresses.
According to the Cooperative Governance of Traditional Affairs (COGTA), many traditional communities across the country observe the sacred cultural practices of initiation every year.
The traditional initiation practice is a rite of passage marking a transition into adulthood. In South Africa, this important cultural journey is normally observed in June and December, respectively (winter and summer initiation seasons).
In a statement previously released by COGTA, the government and all stakeholders will not tolerate bogus initiation schools o
Those who are caught running illegal initiation schools will face the full might of the law in line with Disaster Management Act regulations.
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