Parents asked not to send kids to illegal initiation school

The Gauteng Summer Initiation Season starts on 14 December and end on 16 January 2024. 

This sacred cultural practice is a rite of passage for young men at the age of 18 to manhood.  

In June, during the winter initiation season the department recorded one fatality at an illegal initiation school in Tshwane while a second initiate, died at a registered school in Ratanda.  

A total of 138 initiates were rescued and removed from illegal schools after the committee received tip-offs and nine illegal initiation schools were shutdown.  

PICC spokesperson Kiba Kekana said its all systems go for the summer season. 

“The PICC’s main responsibility is to ensure that the very basic things are complied with, that there is land that has been secured, that basic things such as water as well as food and just the cleanliness of the environment”. 

“But just to ensure that these things are done properly, we’ve got a Gauteng monitoring task team and it has got field workers whose main responsibility is to ensure that compliance to the provisions of the law and that the schools that were not approved that are operating illegally are shutdown”.  

Kekana said parents and members of society must report illegal initiation schools to prevent deaths. 

“We also want to indicate to our parents that in order for us to succeed in our endeavour to save lives, please do not send your kids to illegal schools”.  

“For you to know that the school is legal or illegal, please check with CoGTA Gauteng Province”. 

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