Duduza seven rescued from illegal initiation school
Seven boys aged between 16 and 17 years of age were rescued from an illegal initiation school in Balfour after they were abducted on Tuesday.
Duduza – It is alleged there are scouts recruiting boys to go for initiation without their parents’ consent.
Father of one of the rescued initiates, Sipho Dube, says his son went missing on Friday and no one knew his whereabouts over the weekend.
“We opened a case of missing person because he was never one to disappear for days without the family knowing where he was.
“On Monday, one of his friends told me that there was a guy who was abducting under a false pretense.
“He gave me the guy’s number and when I called him he confirmed that my son was at the school.
“On Tuesday morning with the help of the police we went to the school and found eight boys in the school,” he says.
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Dube says seven of the boys were from Duduza and didn’t have their parents’ consent to undergo the initiation process.
“We found the boys in a bad condition and dehydrated.
“He told me he was not allowed to drink water since he was admitted to the school on Friday afternoon.
“He had lost weight and had blade marks on his hands, legs and head,” he explains.
The angry father adds that it is not in their culture to undergo the initiation passage.
Duduza police spokesperson Sergeant Harry Manaka says the school was found operating illegally.
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“We are happy that we were able to help the families and the initiates out of the school in time.
“We are warning the community of Duduza against the illegal initiation school operating in the Balfour area.
“Apparently there are scouts that are recruiting boys to go for initiation without the consent of the parents.
“We have been receiving reports about a number of boys being kept in Balfour where they were said to be undergoing initiation.
“Last year around the same period we had a number of complaints from residents about their children being taken to Balfour for initiation without consent.
“We are urging parents to warn their children about illegal initiation schools.
“Parents must ensure the school is legal and registered with the relevant departments,” he says.
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