Parental consent in question ahead of Limpopo’s 2025 initiation season
A mother claims her son was taken to an initiation school without consent, sparking concern ahead of the 2025 initiation season in Limpopo.
Quick read
- A workshop on June 11 at Jack Botes Hall addressed legal responsibilities of initiation school organisers.
- 569 applications were received for Limpopo’s 2025 initiation season; 530 were approved (322 for males, 208 for females).
- Applications were rejected due to issues like land disputes and missing documentation, especially in Mopani and Capricorn.
- A Polokwane mother alleges her son was taken to Moletjie Royal House without her consent and despite her objection.
- She claims she was told he had already been sent to “the mountain” and could not be returned.
- Full story below
Full story
POLOKWANE – As the province gears up for the 2025 initiation season, questions are being raised over compliance with the Limpopo Initiation School Act, particularly around the issue of parental consent.
A workshop was hosted by the Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA) on June 11 at the Jack Botes Hall in Polokwane, aimed at clarifying the legal responsibilities of initiation school permit holders, senior traditional leaders, traditional surgeons and caregivers.
Read more: Initiation season 2025: Limpopo approves 530 schools
During the workshop, Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee (PICC) chairperson Hosi Chauke and deputy chairperson Kgosi Rammupudu announced that 569 applications had been received for the upcoming winter and summer seasons.
Of these, 530 were approved – 322 for males and 208 for females. Applications that were rejected came from the Mopani (20), Capricorn (6), Sekhukhune (7), and Waterberg (1) districts, primarily due to land jurisdiction disputes and incomplete documentation.
MEC Basikopo Makamu reinforced that only the legitimately recognised Makgoshi from Limpopo districts would be authorised to host initiation schools. He reiterated that compliance with all aspects of the law was non-negotiable, especially regarding the age of initiates and parental consent.
The Limpopo Initiation School Act strictly prohibits the admission of children under 12 years of age and requires written consent from parents or guardians before any child is accepted into an initiation school.
Despite these regulations, BONUS was contacted by a mother on Monday morning, saying her son had been taken to an initiation school without her consent.
She said a person informed her that her son was at the Moletjie Royal House (The Nation of Bahlaloga – Moletjie Ga moloto) and shortly after, she received another call stating he had been sent to the mountain.
“I never signed any consent forms. When I said I couldn’t afford the fees and asked for him to come home, I was told that it wouldn’t be possible,” she said.
Deputy chairperson Rammupudu used the workshop to warn all initiation organisers to strictly adhere to the law. “We must accept only those children whose parents or guardians have given written consent. Anyone who defies this risks imprisonment,” he said.
BONUS contacted the Moletjie Royal House for clarification and comment on the matter, but the person who answered the call ended the conversation abruptly.
