Initiations start
INITIATION in Limpopo started in earnest on Friday, with the province accrediting 314 schools while only 23 applications were disapproved.
Photo: CHESTER MAKANA The province had received 337 applications for the operation of initiation schools.
Provincial authorities said they were satisfied that successful applicants were operating within the required legislation governing initiation schools.
In Limpopo, only chiefs are allowed to be permit holders of initiation schools. Anyone other than a chief is not allowed to operate an initiation school.
Only boys aged 12 and above, with parental consent, are allowed to enter initiation school.
Provincial deputy chairman of the House of Traditional Leaders Hosi Eric Chauke said yesterday that a committee was currently investigating reasons why the 23 were not granted permission to operate.
"It is not yet clear as to why the 23 applications were disapproved but the matter is under investigation. We hope to have completed our investigations by Thursday," said Chauke.
According to Chauke, Capricorn has 57 schools, Sekhukhune 96, Vhembe 25, Mopani 83 and Waterberg 53. He said Mopani had six applications disapproved and Sekhukhune 17.
"We are sending members of the sub-committee to the districts on fact-finding missions to establish the reasons for the disapprovals," he said.
He said they were working with the provincial department of health and police to ensure that the schools operated within legal limits and that there were no deaths.
"We will mete out harsh sentences to anyone found operating an initiation school without a proper permit," Chauke said.
All the schools are scheduled to finish their business in mid-July to ensure that initiates are ready to return to class when schools re-open on July 16.
The province recorded two deaths during last year's initiations.
The authorities have vowed to avoid any deaths this year.
- frankm@sowetan.co.za
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Pointman
I really hope none of these kids get killed this year. Quack doctors should not come near kids.Report Abuse
maneater
are the boys in the picture supposed to be men?Report Abuse
ApelMankotsana
We must dismiss the all-round fallacy that intiation turns boys into men. Surely these little boys in the picture will in no ways be turned into "men" after the initiation. This boys to men syndroem is just fallacy.Report Abuse
mungana
wait a minute.............i am sure its under gunpoint,let them be man,sign their own consent,thusang bagaeso''''''''Report Abuse
PleaseGetReal1
When will this stone age tradition be eliminated.Report Abuse
PDreamz
Isnt this child abuse of some horrible sort? Look at those kids can anyone honestly say they'll come back as MEN? What makes a man? A real man not this for sure some traditions are a curseReport Abuse
DinuZulu
As expected the white guys will say band and let’s stop the practice in general. I am glad Sowetan finally showed this thou as all the people who are not from the Nguni nation would insult my Xhosa brothers when they initiate 10year olds "WTF?".I say the tradition my carry on and always be there but the age should maybe change and like in Xhosa land have inkokheli zesikho *Traditional representatives* that actually when threw the process to monitor and make sure everything goes according to standard.
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truthhurt
This is Child Abuse.Report Abuse
MGEEZ
Big up to Limpopo; at least the province is doing something right!!!!Report Abuse
BaleliM
aargh shame, these are just little boys man.Report Abuse
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