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The Deputy Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Obed Bapela express his sincere condolences on the death of initiates across the country.  The national figure of deaths is standing at eight.

The Eastern Cape has to date reported six deaths with five from OR Tambo and Chris Hani District one. The Eastern Cape Health Department is assisting with a forensic report to determine full courses of death. Limpopo has recorded one death and Mpumalanga has also reported one death which was outside the initiate school as a result of fighting.

Bapela, says, "I will not rest and sit whilst children's are dying mainly as a results of illegal schools operating in these areas.”

The modus operandi of the illegal schools is kidnaping people and forcefully initiating them without consideration for medical pre-screening and other key safety measures.
The National Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs would ensure that the perpetrators of illegal schools which are mostly fuelled by greed for money and by gangs are apprehended. The call for “Zero Tolerance on Initiation Deaths” will be advocated further to ensure that there are no more deaths till the end of the initiation season.

The Deputy Minister commends Traditional Leaders working with Police and government departments to close about five (5) illegal schools in North West, one (1) illegal school in Limpopo and two (2) illegal schools in Eastern Cape, 21 illegal schools closed in Gauteng and 70 initiates have been rescued.

The Deputy Minister calls on all stakeholders to play their part and ensure the safety of the initiates and protecting cultural practices by reporting illegal and bogus initiation schools to the nearest police stations across the country.

For reporting of illegal initiation schools please contact the following numbers:

Department of Traditional Affairs: Mr. Abram Sithole +2771 600 7917 and Mr. Jacob Mashishi +2772 025 4607 Or The National House of Traditional Leaders: Kgosi Mahlangu +2771 461 0475



Issued by GCIS on behalf of the Department of Cooperatives Governance and Traditional Affairs