Illegal initiation school abductors have struck again in Orange Farm where they seized 20 youths and forced them to take part in strange rituals.
Orange Farm, which falls under Sedibeng municipality, is notorious for the abduction of young boys by people who run illegal initiation schools. They then demand a ransom from parents in exchange for their children's freedom.
This year, Sedibeng became the first municipality in Gauteng to adopt a circumcision bylaw to clamp down on illegal initiation schools.
A 13-year-old boy, who cannot be named as he is a minor, was among those kidnapped and taken to a secluded area in Lawley, south of Johannesburg, last Friday night.
His mother said hedisappeared from his Extension 9 home around 7pm. "I thought he had gone to play with his friends but I was shocked when a neighbour came to my house around 10pm to inform me that he had seen my child walking with a group of older boys herding a cow."
The mother began looking for her child and was directed to the house of a neighbour where the boys were believed to have been kept before being taken to the mountain.
"When I arrived there, there were lots of boys dressed in overalls and singing. They said my son was not there and refused [to let me] search [for him]."
She reported her child missing on Sunday to the police, who rescued him. The boy told Sowetan that he had been influenced by his friends to go to the mountain. "We took a train and went to a bush that I was not familiar with. There were about 20 of us. They made us strip naked [and forced us to] take muthi with black tea without sugar. They also put red ochre on our bodies.
"We spent two nights there, singing and drinking things that I did not even know," he said.
The abductors took some of the boys and placed them in the same house where the boy's mother had looked for him before. The mother said her son has not been well since he was rescued. "He has night sweats and shivers. I've even taken him to a traditional healer but nothing seems to help."
Orange Farm police spokesman Captain Johannes Motsiri confirmed the incident.
"Six boys were rescued from a house and returned to their parents. No arrests were made. We are still tracking the owner of the house," Motsiri said.
Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA chairman in Gauteng, Prince Manene, said he was concerned illegal operators continue to abduct boys in Sedibeng.
sifilel@sowetan.co.za
Rescued boy relives initiation abduction
Illegal initiation school abductors have struck again in Orange Farm where they seized 20 youths and forced them to take part in strange rituals.
Orange Farm, which falls under Sedibeng municipality, is notorious for the abduction of young boys by people who run illegal initiation schools. They then demand a ransom from parents in exchange for their children's freedom.
This year, Sedibeng became the first municipality in Gauteng to adopt a circumcision bylaw to clamp down on illegal initiation schools.
A 13-year-old boy, who cannot be named as he is a minor, was among those kidnapped and taken to a secluded area in Lawley, south of Johannesburg, last Friday night.
His mother said hedisappeared from his Extension 9 home around 7pm. "I thought he had gone to play with his friends but I was shocked when a neighbour came to my house around 10pm to inform me that he had seen my child walking with a group of older boys herding a cow."
The mother began looking for her child and was directed to the house of a neighbour where the boys were believed to have been kept before being taken to the mountain.
"When I arrived there, there were lots of boys dressed in overalls and singing. They said my son was not there and refused [to let me] search [for him]."
She reported her child missing on Sunday to the police, who rescued him. The boy told Sowetan that he had been influenced by his friends to go to the mountain. "We took a train and went to a bush that I was not familiar with. There were about 20 of us. They made us strip naked [and forced us to] take muthi with black tea without sugar. They also put red ochre on our bodies.
"We spent two nights there, singing and drinking things that I did not even know," he said.
The abductors took some of the boys and placed them in the same house where the boy's mother had looked for him before. The mother said her son has not been well since he was rescued. "He has night sweats and shivers. I've even taken him to a traditional healer but nothing seems to help."
Orange Farm police spokesman Captain Johannes Motsiri confirmed the incident.
"Six boys were rescued from a house and returned to their parents. No arrests were made. We are still tracking the owner of the house," Motsiri said.
Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA chairman in Gauteng, Prince Manene, said he was concerned illegal operators continue to abduct boys in Sedibeng.
sifilel@sowetan.co.za
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