Chief says syndicates kidnap boys for initiation schools
Constable Busi Mthethwa, the eMbalenhle police spokesperson, said a 24-year-old suspect was arrested after Mahlangu opened a kidnapping case. Mthethwa said the police are still investigating, and more arrests are imminent.
A suspect was arrested and charged with kidnapping after a 16-year-old boy was found locked in a shack at Ext 14, eMbalenhle, last month. The youth was held captive to be taken to a summer initiation school.
According to Chief Isaac Mahlangu, who opened the case against the suspect, he received a complaint from parents about their boys going missing. The parents suspected a group of men took the children to an initiation school in Greylingstad.
Mahlangu said the father of one of the boys and the father’s friend went all-out to search for his child. The two adults found the boy locked in a windowless shack in Ext 14 on November 25.
“The boy told us he had been locked up in the shack for three days without food or water. When he was asked who locked him in the shack, he pointed to the suspect.”
Mahlangu said an investigation revealed syndicates are operating in all eMbalenhle schools to lure learners to initiation schools. These syndicates allegedly also make money from this.
“When we asked the boy if he even wanted to attend an initiation school, he claimed he was pressured at school by other learners who went to the initiation school and are now recruiters,” said Mahlangu.
Mahlangu said they also received information that the suspects forged the signatures of parents or guardians on consent forms for the child to be initiated. This is done without parental consent.
“Another parent from Ext 26 told us that last week she was shocked when a group of men known to her came into her home and told her that her son went to the initiation school. They came to get a blanket for him. When she asked who allowed them to initiate her son, the men did not answer.
“My question is, where will this parent get money to pay for her son’s initiation without her permission? We know that by coming to inform her about her son being initiated, they need money.
“We always face challenges with these winter and summer initiation schools. Why do these people embarrass and undermine the culture and tradition like this?
“As traditional leaders, we are the custodians of culture and tradition. We feel pain when we see people disrespect it,” said Mahlangu.
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Mahlangu said they believe the arrest of one syndicate will be a lesson to others to stop what they are doing. He said the local traditional leaders are working with the police to ensure more arrests.
The chief said they would soon launch a campaign in all eMbalenhle schools to teach learners about the dangers of going to initiation schools without their parents’ consent.
Initiation practices have been in a negative spotlight for some time. The Ridge Times published a story in July about Ayanda Mabuda (17) from Ext 22, who died after going to an initiation school in Standerton without his parents’ consent.
Yearly, at the beginning of winter or summer, eMbalenhle parents flock to the eMbalenhle Police Station for help to find their boys who ran off to initiation schools without permission. Most of these initiation schools operate in Standerton in areas like Cedarmont, Holmdene and surrounding areas.
Last month, the police worked day and night helping parents to find their boys who ran off to initiation schools without their permission. Mahlangu said the Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department should scrutinise applications from those who want to practice initiation or start initiation schools.
Constable Busi Mthethwa, the eMbalenhle police spokesperson, said a 24-year-old suspect was arrested after Mahlangu opened a kidnapping case. Mthethwa said the police are still investigating, and more arrests are imminent.
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