R1-20/FREE
31May 2013
Initiation schools deaths cause concern
An intiation ritual. Photo: Supplied Lizzy Bapela The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo has called for the government to shut down all illegal initiation schools in the province. The DA expressed concerns following the recent deaths of six initiates who died at various initiation schools in the province. The party demands that the MEC for the Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs, Clifford Motsepe identify all illegal initiation schools in the province and close them down with immediate effect to prevent more deaths. “How many more young men must die in the prime of their lives before MEC Motsepe realises that it’s his job to regulate these schools?” said the party’s spokesperson on Local Government Desiree van der Walt. The Limpopo Working Committee (LWC)
on initiation schools has confirmed that 140 illegal schools in the province have been identified with more than 1056 initiates. The DA believes that that out of many of the initiates are learners who have skipped their school lessons to attend these illegal schools. She said the DA is also deeply concerned about parents who force their children to attend these illegal schools instead of waiting for the registered schools to open. The party acknowledges and respects the cultural beliefs surrounding male initiation but this transition to manhood should only be permitted at registered initiation school and under the guidance of experienced traditional authorities. They called upon MEC Motsepe and the LWC on initiation schools to ensure all operating initiation schools are registered and close down all those found to be
unaccredited and illegal. Meanwhile, Motsepe met with stakeholders involved in the Limpopo initiation schools for 2013 in Polokwane on Monday, 27 May. Spokesperson for the department Tseng Diale said the purpose of the meeting is to brief and prepare stakeholders on precautionary measures to be followed in order to ensure a smooth process during the June/July 2013 initiation period. The MEC and members of the Provincial House of Traditional Leaders briefed the media and stakeholders on the day. The MEC encourages the participants to go to legitimate schools and warned that law enforcement agencies will have zero tolerance for lawbreakers in this matter. Also, the ANC Youth League in Limpopo made a call to all who have yet to go to initiation schools to ensure that the schools are properly coordinated and that the Department of Health and the police are monitoring compliance on both safety and hygiene. The league further urged people to make use of medical circumcision as it is freely offered at public hospitals throughout the year. Speaking on behalf of the league, spokesperson Klaas Mabunda said the league also urged the authorities to arrest everybody responsible for the death of the initiates and impose harsher sentences. He said they cannot tolerate a situation where African culture is misused and brought to shame by self-centred traditional healers. “Those who initiate the schools are nowadays driven by the passion for money and they have turned the schools into slaughterhouses. If the mortality rate continues to mount, we should rise as communities against all the initiation schools and persuade laws to only recognize medical circumcision instead.” He added that the intention was not to discard or diminish cultural practices, but to save lives.