Amandebele initiates in the Govan Mbeki municipal area graduate from boys to men

Streets in Govan Mbeki Municipality are painted with rainbow-coloured blankets to symbolise the return of Amandebele initiates from their initiation schools.

Thousands of initiates went to initiation at different initiation schools for two months where they were taught how to become good and responsible men in society.

According to chief Isaac Mahlangu, these initiates are graduating from being boys to men.

However, that does not mean that they can disrespect their parents and the community.

“To graduate from boyhood to being a man comes with responsibilities, such as respect for elderly people and the community and to become good citizens.

“The AmaNdebele nation takes three years before our initiation season which gives us time to prepare boys for school.

“During those three years, boys should pass many tests before they can be ready for initiation school.

“While we prepare them, we also give a chance to the girls’ initiation schools.

“That doesn’t mean that the initiates must leave school. After graduation, we expect all those who are at school to go back to their schools, because they need to shape up their future,” said Chief Mahlangu.

He thanked the Department of Education for their cooperation when parents ask that their children be allowed to attend initiation school.

Chief Mahlangu said they are not happy about illegal initiation schools that are taking place in the municipal jurisdiction.

He said those schools are undermining the cultural passage because those people are only interested in money.

According to Chief Mahlangu, these illegal schools kidnap young boys so that their parents will pay.

Mahlangu also said traditional leaders are concerned because those boys who either go voluntary without their parents’ permission or who are kidnapped to be initiated without their parent’s consent become gangsters when they return.

“We received many complaints from parents about these illegal initiation schools and it was also reported to eMbalenhle Police Station.

Every winter, the eMbalenhle Police are overloaded with work because of these illegal initiation schools.

“The majority of these children are in families where no one, including their parents, had ever gone to the initiation school, which means he is following a wrong culture and that’s the reason we have so many gangsters in our community,” said Chief Mahlangu.

He said parents always run to the police station to report their missing children who have been taken to these schools either by force or voluntarily without their consent.

“As traditional leaders, we know that before a boy is taken to the initiation school, a medical report is needed that will confirm that he is fit for the passage and parents are the ones to bring their children to us.

“We can’t allow a child to come alone and say he wants to go to the initiation school. There are forms parents and their medical practitioners have to complete before we can accept the child.

“These illegal initiation school practitioners do not ask all those requirements because they doing this as money-making schemes and not as tradition,” said Chief Mahlangu.

Recently, some parents in eMbalenhle have been flocking to the police station, requesting the police to accompany them to collect their children from the initiation schools.

Some boys were found in different initiation schools, such as Val near Balfour and others were found at Duduza in Gauteng.

Some parents told Ridge Times that their children were initiated without their authority and those who initiated them demanded money and liquor from them.

Const Busi Mthethwa confirmed that some parents were assisted by the police to get their children back from those initiation schools. The parents only wanted their children back and never opened cases.

Mthethwa said if they can open cases, police will arrest those involved in these initiation schools.