Police have reported that they are battling with illegal initiation schools mushrooming in Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu, as well as boys who were forcibly taken to lebollo "become men".

Some of the initiates are convinced by their peers to go to the lebollo school if they wanted to be regarded as "men".

Police spokeswoman Constable Consolation Mokoale said only two bodies had been identified on Sunday.

"We have arrested a principal and two teachers aged between 27 and 35 after the deaths of the four boys. It is alleged that initiates were assaulted and burnt with hot iron rods on their buttocks as part of punishment. The school was also not registered," said Mokoale.

Police were alerted about the deaths after one of the boys died at Botshabelo Hospital from severe injuries. Police went to the school and found 30 initiates and three bodies.

Eleven of the initiates were taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Mokoale said they were pleading with the parents of children who are missing or who are attending the initiation school to contact them.

Last week, Itumeleng Mojafi, 17, died under mysterious circumstances at an initiation school in Thaba Nchu.

Two families in Mangaung were woken up on Sunday morning by police who informed them of their children's deaths.

Both families said they had refused to allow their children to go to the mountain school as it was against their culture. The boys had gone to the school without their parents' consent.

Ruth Kuzwayo did not give permission to her son Mthandazo, 19, to go to the initiation school. "He left a note on June 22 that he was leaving and I should forgive him. The following day his principal informed me that he was at his school and demanded R1200. I told him that I wanted my son released from the school and he refused. I don't know why my child was killed. I demand answers from his killers," said Kuzwayo.

Mthandazo was fetched from the school in 2010 after he went there without telling his mother. Last year he was circumcised by a private surgeon to prevent him from going to the initiation school.

A fuming Grace Ngontshane said her grandson Morena Potsane, 17, defied her and went to the school without her permission.

Ngontshane had fetched Morena from the school three times before his death.

"On June 23 he went missing. Later his principal arrived with a list of things that I should buy, including paying him R1800 for his graduation. On Sunday morning the same man woke me up with the police but failed to tell me that he had killed my child," she said.

The families said they had been told that the boys were burned every night and then severely assaulted until they died.

The suspects are expected to appear in court today on four charges of murder. - ntwaagaes@sowetan.co.za

Comments

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Sun May 19 21:44:28 SAST 2013 ::

Jul 3, 2012

Pointman

Poor kids - suffering at the hands of ignorant adults. Since when did a beating make boys into men. The "principal" should be charged with murder.
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Jul 3, 2012

maneater

rest in peace young men. i am not sure how long are we going to be going through this until dratic action is taken.
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Jul 3, 2012

SOLUTIONS

Solution:

Stop these stone age initiating processes, it is not working.

RIP to the boys.
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Jul 3, 2012

CYBORICO

we got hospitals for this thing, the boys can go have a winter camp in the bushes if they choose to, but get the okapi and the beating out of it, Anyway it serves them right, fools who think after a month in the cold u will suddenly b men?
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Jul 3, 2012

Memme

Do people still believe that you have to go to the mountain to become a man??? We are in 2012 for God's sake.
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Jul 3, 2012

MGEEZ

@Sowetan: you may be against c.ir.cu.mcision as a tr.d.ition; but at least do a thorough invest.i.g.ation and present both sides of the story instead of only presenting one side. These are cr.im.in.al activities and have nothing to do with the tr.ad.it.ion as such. It is pat.h.etic to say the least to want to attach this c.r.i.minal beh.av.io.ur to ci.rc..um.cision. Of i.nt.erest in your story is that only rebe.l.s who went to the school without their parents conc.e.nt were affected; why? Why did these p.ar.ents not report their sons as mi.ss.ing? The one who was cir.cu.mci.sed in the hospital, what was the point of him going to the school? there was no fo.r.e.skin to remove; so why did he insist on going?
To cut a long story short, premat.ur.e de.a.th of any individual is regretted; but please do not try to report other peoples tra.di.tio.ns in a bad light just because you do not agree with them!!!!
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Jul 3, 2012

mambozana

I have been through initiation myself but think the beating is a no no, and for haven sake how can you beat someone who is already in pains instead of helping them. I personaly think this has become a joke this days. The Ingcibi is there to help and guide you through the processes, not punish you. The Ingcibi used to be old men with a lot of experience in this but now, some broke under aged bustards want to make a quick buck. Please arrest all those fools because they are killing our culture.
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Jul 3, 2012

Stumaeza

Our government must close all these schools...i know it's our culture but it's not worth it.
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Jul 3, 2012

MGEEZ

Memme
Do people still believe that you have to go to the mountain to become a man??? We are in 2012 for God's sake.
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What does it mean to be in 2012? Does it mean we should forsake our culture and traditions???
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Jul 3, 2012

MGEEZ

@Stumaeza
Our government must close all these schools...i know it's our culture but it's not worth it.
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Why do you think it's not worth it? Did you know that each day in our country 40 people die everyday on our roads? Does that mean our roads should be closed?
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