Over 700 initiation schools approved in Limpopo
Limpopo has approved 771 initiation schools for the winter season, but 186 applicants were rejected for failing to meet legal requirements.
POLOKWANE – When the winter initiation season opens on Friday (June 19), more than 700 approved Koma schools will welcome thousands of young people across Limpopo. But nearly 200 applicants have been told they cannot operate.
The numbers come from Cooperative Governance MEC Basikopo Makamu, who briefed the media in Polokwane on June 10 alongside traditional leaders, health officials, and Saps representatives.
Of 957 applications received for both male and female initiation schools, 771 were approved; 471 for boys and 300 for girls. The remaining 186 were turned down.
Why applications were rejected
According to Makamu, most of the rejected applications failed to meet the requirements of Section 26(4) of the Customary Initiation Act (Act 2 of 2021).
“The law is not a suggestion. It is a safeguard,” Makamu said. “We will not compromise the safety of our children by approving schools that do not meet the legal and administrative threshold.”
The approved schools were officially gazetted on May 20.
Special exemption for Ndebele Royal Council
The province has granted a special exemption to the Ndebele Royal Council, whose customs require a different timeline.
Makamu reported that those schools are already in session, with monitoring teams conducting both scheduled and unannounced visits.
“As of today, the situation remains stable and under control,” he said. “We have recorded zero fatalities, zero hospitalisations, and no major injuries or casualties.”
What parents need to know
Makamu urged parents not to send their children to any initiation school without first completing a medical screening.
“Every initiate must be cleared by a healthcare professional at a clinic or hospital before admission,” he said. For remote areas, mobile clinics will be available.
Warning to illegal operators
Makamu had a direct message for the 186 rejected applicants and anyone else considering running an unapproved school: “The law will find you.”
He said his department is working with Saps and the NPA to shut down illegal schools and prosecute offenders.
“There will be no ‘slap on the wrist’ for those who gamble with the lives of our children.”
