Zero tolerance to initiation fatalities
03 Jul 2014
The Deputy Minister for Traditional Affairs Mr. Obed Bapela working together with the National House of Traditional Leaders, the Department of Health, the South African Police Services, the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities and the Congress of Traditional Leaders have agreed to work together to save lives, with its call again re-iterating it's on Zero tolerance to initiation fatalities. "It is saddening to report the increased the number of initiates who have lost their lives to 23.
This is despite all the efforts we have made jointly with all our stakeholders, The 19 of the twenty one initiates are from the Eastern Cape, four (3) from Mpumalanga, and one from Western Cape," said Deputy Minister Bapela.
A further 104 young men have been admitted in hospitals for various treatment ranging from dehydration, septic circumcision, gangrene and other chronic illnesses. Government strongly condemns perpetrators who operate illegal schools and convey its deepest condolences to the bereaved families.
The Ministry of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs continue to call on all members of the community to report any illegal initiation schools to the police. The rite of passage is not a license for abuse of the initiates but a process that is ushering these young men to adulthood and a cultural practice that need to be respected.
Government has a duty to protect lives of its citizens, it therefore calls upon all stakeholders including parents to work together with the health practitioners. The death of young men who are the future of the country cannot be tolerated any further, it cannot continue in this way. Government further appeals to all structures of traditional leadership to put an end to this tragic situation and continue to work together with the established monitoring teams including law enforcement agencies.
Traditional Leaders are required by their customs and customary law to protect their communities including initiates.
The Deputy Minister Bapela wishes to commend the police for closing down illegal school in Gauteng and arresting the principal of the school, the police would continue with their crack down of illegal schools and ensure successful prosecution.
The Deputy Minister working with the House of Traditional Leaders, Department of Health, the police and other structures to ensure that there is no additional death recorded, as one death is too many. The police in Lenasia in Gauteng have been able to close down a bogus school on Monday, the Police have established a Task Force to directly respond and arrest owners of illegal schools.
Government cannot continue to experience deaths at initiation schools caused by negligence and lawlessness.
Statement issued by the Department of Traditional Affairs, July 3 2014
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