Chief Nsizwa Mahlangu from the Ndzundza Urban Regional Council in Mpumalanga has called on illegal initiation school owners to stop abducting children and demanding ransoms for their safe return.
Mahlangu’s comment comes after many young boys around Emalahleni and the surrounding areas were reportedly kidnapped and taken to initiation schools without their parents’ consent.
“These are criminal syndicates and are operating illegal initiation schools to solicit money from families. They are targeting families mostly headed by women, and in some cases they have demanded monies to the tune of R5 000 and alcohol.
“I informed the police about the situation and also went to the places where the children were kept and rescued them. I would like to call on all the relevant stakeholders to assist me to fight against this problem. Parents must report this thing so that the perpetrators can be arrested,” said Mahlangu.
It is alleged the kidnappers threaten the parents, telling them the children will fall ill if they take them out of the schools without paying a fine.
Recently, 13-year-old boys were reportedly abducted from schools and from the streets, and taken to the initiation schools without their parents’ consent.
The alleged kidnappers, who were travelling in a minibus, collected the children and took them to certain houses or illegal initiation schools and telephoned the parents to come and bail them out.
One of the parents of a kidnapped boy, who asked not to be named fearing victimisation, said her son was abducted and taken to a “bogus royal house where there were other boys still waiting for their parents to come and bail them out. We paid the fine and he was
later released.”
Mahlangu said he has worked with the police to rescue more than 17 teenagers in the Ga-Nala area, and said more boys were still being abducted and held in illegal initiation schools.
He urged families to make sure initiation schools are registered before taking their children there. He also said it was vital to take children for medical screening before enrolling them at any initiation school to avoid unnecessary deaths.
Since initiations started last month, eight initiates have already lost their lives.
Recently, Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane launched a provincial initiation coordinating committee aimed at making sure that initiation schools are operated safely.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said parents should report such matters to the police or other stakeholders.
“We heard about the news but we have not yet received a formal report from the police station. Parents have not reported the matter to us either. If they alert us formally we will make sure that the law takes its course. Parents have the right to report things like that,” said Mohlala.
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