Illegal drugs such as nyaope as well as alcohol are some of the items which have been found at illegal initiation schools shut down by authorities in Gauteng.

Yesterday, Congress of Traditional Healers of South Africa (Contralesa) and department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) officials visited some of the schools.

Empty beer bottles, toilet paper and white ashes were remnants of what remained of another illegal initiation school that went up in flames last week. A 24-year-old initiate was rescued from the school.

Provincial chairman of Contralesa Prince Manene Tabane vowed that they would continue shutting down all illegal initiation schools in Gauteng.

Tabane pleaded with municipalities that did not have by-laws to adopt them quickly and assist his office and the government to curb illegal initiation schools.

"City of Tshwane and Sedibeng district have no major problems of illegal initiation schools because there is law and order there.

"However, we have established that people abduct children as young as 10 from Sedibeng and Orange Farm to their schools and are capitalising on the fact that there are no by-laws in the City of Johannesburg."

Tabane blamed commercialisation of the practice and peer pressure for the mushrooming of illegal schools. "They are giving us problems and sleepless nights," he said.

He called on all initiation school owners to have documents and to follow the law before taking initiates.

As Sowetan reported this week about the role of nyaope addicts in East Rand's illegal schools, Tabane admitted to a bigger role played by addicts in the abduction of boys.

"When we raid those schools we find nyaope, drugs and alcohol.

"We plead with parents to always keep an eye on their children, especially those aged between 10 and 16 as they are vulnerable," he said.

Last week, 25 boys from Orange Farm were rescued and a 24-year-old man was arrested by police at an illegal initiation school in Meadowlands, Soweto. This was after one initiate escaped and alerted residents who called the police.

Elias Ramila, who runs a registered initiation school, is currently preparing 14 initiates aged 18 to 26 in Fochville, west of Johannesburg, to become "real men".

The initiates are expected to graduate next week Friday.

So far, two illegal initiation schools situated next to his in the bush outside the area have been closed and set alight by Contralesa and the provincial department of Cogta.

"People must obey the law. It is free and safe to follow the law," Ramila said.

Meanwhile, Cogta Deputy Minister Obed Bapela yesterday asked the Hawks to investigate the deaths of initiates.

He said 31 initiates had died; with the Eastern Cape reporting 26 deaths, Limpopo three deaths, Mpumalanga one death and North West reporting its first death since the start of the initiation season.

Bapela said the department would continue to create awareness and ensure that the "Zero Death" campaign was achieved. It would work with police, other structures of the state and traditional leaders to close down illegal schools.

Bapela also consulted with the head of the Hawks in the Eastern Cape for assistance in ensuring successful prosecution of the owner of the illegal school where Cinga Maphetshana, a Grade 10 student, died following an alleged assault. - Additional reporting by RDM News Wire