After many weeks of searching, the Duduza police finally closed down and arrested the operators of an illegal initiation school.
The arrest comes after an 18-year-old boy was reported missing by his family since June 13.
He was last seen in the company of a group of people that were singing for initiates.
According to Sgt Harry Manaka, spokesperson for Duduza SAPS, the boy’s family and two others were then contacted and told they would have to pay a certain amount of money to ensure the safe return of the children from the ‘ngoma’.
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Through partnership with Social Crime Prevention, the Department of Environmental Affairs and other local initiation chiefs, the police managed to hunt down the operators of the illegal school.
On the morning of July 8, the police put together a team to search for the boys.
The operators of the school were in clear violation of the National Disaster Management Act, which prohibited the performing of initiation practice during the state of disaster.
The three boys were rescued.
The boys were kept in makeshift camps in the veld next to Dunnottar.
Manaka says they were also moved to Jameson Park where it is reported that they stole live stock from the local farmers.
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The operators were able to evade the police by moving the initiates between the two camps and a house in Zamani, where they were eventually found.
Two of the suspects were arrested while another two narrowly escaped and are still being hunted by the police.
The suspects face charges of kidnapping, extortion and the violation of the Disaster Management Act, Reg 38(1) (a).
The boys were taken for medical examination and will be reunited with their families Duduza SAPS station commander Lt Col Bheki Mhlungu expressed relief in the arrest of the illegal operators, saying this could be a breakthrough in ending illegal imitation in the area.
He also thanked the other chiefs for their commitment in working with the police to save the boys.
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