ILLEGAL INITIATION SCHOOLS MUST BE BARRED

ILLEGAL INITIATION SCHOOLS MUST BE BARRED

by BRIAN KAJENGO

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of Mpumalanga SAPS, Major General Meshack Nogwanya issued a stern warning regarding incorrect practices in the initiation schools.

The warning come in support of the House of Traditional Leaders and in the light of complaints received through Ingoma Forum about some initiation schools operating illegally.

The death of initiates last year caused pandemonium and acrimony within the province. Grieving families remain with unanswered questions on how they beloved children died.

“The practices of operating initiations schools without following proper procedures and processes is unacceptable and may result into prosecution and to the extreme it may lead to loss of life”, said General Nogwanya.

Nogwanya further reminded the initiation school owners that they must not forget the barbaric instances in which 30 initiates died in Mpumalanga. As a result of this, the National Director of Public Prosecution has ruled that 23 of these deaths allegedly occurred negligently and the suspected perpetrators will be prosecuted.

The initiation schools owners charged with negligent.

The police in Mpumalanga are currently investigating four new cases of deaths that took place at initiation schools in the province.

“These incidents cause a painful grief to families and as law enforcement agency it is within our responsibility to probe these issues. As the police we do respect the culture of individuals as enshrined in the Constitution. However the lives of individuals are more important than a culture. Cultural practices should be done within the constraints of the law”, General Nogwanya explained.

“It is disturbing that children as young as 16, due to pressure from their peers, often hand themselves in at the initiation schools without permission from parents. What aggravates the issue is that some initiation school owners do register them without consulting their parents. This practice must cease as it may lead to prosecution,” warned General Nogwanya.

“In Mpumalanga we have assembled a team of investigators that from time to time interact with the Ingoma Forum on related matters. The team is responsible to investigate the deaths that occurred at initiation schools and prepare dockets for decisions by prosecutors. We are proud with the team and the working relationship we have with the prosecution and the Ingoma Forum. This concerted effort has proved to be successful hence the 23 cases to be prosecuted”, concluded General Nogwanya.