Initiation schools accused of kidnapping boys in Mpumalanga

War has erupted between initiation school owners and the residents of Sakhisizwe Farm in Evander, Mpumalanga.

The residents alleged that initiation school owners have kidnapped teenagers and young men and taken them to the mountain without the consent of families.

Speaking on behalf of the parents, Ndabezitha Mphikeleli Joseph Mthimunye, chair of Govan Mbeki Traditional Council, confirmed that more than 100 children had been kidnapped since the initiation season started.

Children reported missing

“Many parents came to the traditional council to report that their children went missing. We started investigating and found that about seven schools could not produce parents’ consent forms and we managed to rescue some of the children.

“In one school we rescued about nine children. I’m not sure how many children were rescued by community members in other schools. But many children have been rescued.

“This practice has been happening for so many years in this part of the province. Another thing we are not happy with is that there are people with criminal records who run initiation schools.

“Previously there were allegations that these criminals were grooming children to become gangsters when returning home. Those children never returned to school, instead they became criminals terrorising communities.”

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Mthimunye said his investigation also revealed that when the boys arrived on the mountain, they were urged to kidnap their peers in the next initiation seasons.

Asked about allegations that the community members assaulted some caretakers during the rescues of the alleged kidnapped initiates, Mthimunye denied this.

Owners and community fight

Chief Nsizwa Mahlangu, a senior member of the Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee – a body appointed by the Mpumalanga department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) to oversee initiation schools in the province, said a fight ensued between illegal initiation school owners and the community of eMbalenhle and surrounding areas.

Mahlangu said today he was going to meet community members and local traditional leaders to hear their grievances.

“I will also give feedback on the investigations we did as the task team from provincial government.”

Cogta spokesperson Lindiwe Msibi did not respond to questions sent to her.

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