Pretoria - Limpopo MEC for Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Clifford Motsepe, has sent a strong warning to bogus traditional surgeons intending to run initiations without permits in the province.
“To the people who want to take chances of running initiation schools without permits, we say be prepared to incur the full might of the law.
“This is not a venture to make money. If you want to do business, please look somewhere else. Attending an initiation school should continue to be a respected tradition among our communities.
“Deaths of young people who are destined to be future leaders are deplorable, worse when it happens in hands of people who are custodians of this ancient institution,” the MEC told reporters in Polokwane on Monday.
“There will be zero tolerance to law breakers and they will be brought to book. Let this ancient practice achieve the cultural objectives it was meant to without anyone giving it a bad name.”
Initiation schools in Limpopo are scheduled to commence on June 14 and end on July 13.
Motsepe said the province has been in the news for allegedly running initiation schools where it has been reported that six initiates lost their lives, specifically in Sekhukhune district.
The areas the illegal schools were started in share a border with Mpumalanga province.
“Some initiation schools have started on May 4, long before the official date of commencement. It is in these illegal initiation schools where death of initiates occurred,” he said.
The MEC said upon receiving the reports of these illegal schools, his department assembled and dispatched an Assessment Task Team to the areas concerned to investigate the matter on May 20.
The team discovered that there were indeed illegal initiation schools under Kgoshi PJ Mahlangu of Limpopo and King Maboko of Mpumalanga.
“It is regrettable to note that like in 2012, even in 2013, Kgoshi P J Mahlangu has conducted illegal initiation schools after being advised repeatedly to desist from doing so by government.
“It was found that Kgoshi PJ Mahlangu had 135 regiments with a total number of 1 005 initiates and King Maboko with 19 regiments accounting to 305 initiates.
“It was also discovered that Petrus Van Rooyen, also known as Makua, has one initiation school with 16 initiates, said Motsepe.
Motsepe said the department has since reported the matter to the respective police stations in the areas affected by illegal initiation schools.
Approved permits for initiation schools
According to the MEC, his department has approved 142 applications, of which 107 are for initiation schools for boys and 35 for girls.
The breakdown as per the provincial districts is: Vhembe 31 permits, Waterberg 21, Mopani 20, Capricorn seven and Sekhukhune 63 permits.
“We are making a clarion call to all permit holders to adhere to all the initiation school prescripts. We also call upon parents to verify the legitimacy of initiation schools they intend to send their children to with their respective Traditional Authorities,” he said.
The MEC emphasised that:
- No person shall hold an initiation school without a valid permit issued to him/her in terms of Section 2 (1) of the Northern Province Circumcision Schools Act No. 6 of 1996.
- No traditional surgeon or any other person is allowed to perform rituals in an initiation school without a certificate of fitness issued for that purpose by a registered medical practitioner authorised by the Premier or authorized officer to do so in terms of Section 3 (1) of Initiation Schools Regulations of 2003.
- No traditional nurse or any other person is allowed to look after initiates in an initiation school without a certificate of attendance of training referred to in regulation 5, provided that the prohibition shall become effective on the day immediately after the conclusion of the training concerned in terms on Section 4(1) of Initiation Schools Regulations of 2003.
- No person below the age of twelve can be admitted to an initiation school in terms of Section 7(1) of Initiation Schools Regulations of 2003.
- No initiate shall be admitted to an initiation school more than five days after the commencement of the school in terms of Section 7(3) of Initiation Schools Regulations of 2003.
- No person is allowed to abduct another for the purpose of taking the abducted person to an initiation school in terms of Section 9(1) of Initiation Schools Regulations of 2003.
- SAnews.gov.za
