Initiates 'kidnapped'

2003-12-23 17:56

Potchefstroom - Thirteen male initiates were admitted to the Potchefstroom Hospital on Sunday and Monday with acute sepsis of the penis and dehydration.

Barba Gaoganediwe, spokesperson for the North West health department, said the initiates, aged 14 to 30, were "improving". Four had been discharged.

Health authorities visited the initiation school concerned in Ikageng.

They found another 11 young initiates with undressed wounds. The accompanying medical practitioners gave the boys antibiotics and dressed their wounds.

The health department, parents and the school's principal met on Tuesday to try to remedy the situation, said Gaoganediwe.

Kidnapped

Some of the children at the school said they were kidnapped after drinking alcohol. They awoke the following day to find themselves at the school.

Gaoganediwe said the health department spoke to parents who said they had not given consent for their children to attend the school.

He said they did not yet know whether the principal had permission from the traditional authorities to open the school.

Last year the principal opened a school in Klerksdorp, but charges were laid against him after parents complained. He was not prosecuted.

Gaoganediwe said the health department had called for an urgent investigation into the matter.

"While we recognise that the matter of initiation schools rests with traditional institutions, it is our belief that we have a role to play as a department because critical health and hygiene issues are involved," he said.

"We cannot fold our arms and let the lives of our young men be threatened by unscrupulous initiation schools organisers who refuse to follow our historic 2000 co-operation agreement with Traditional Authorities guidelines which states that 'before the troops leave for various initiation camps, a meeting is convened between traditional leaders, camp leaders and health workers to agree on the terms of reference'."

The North West House of Traditional Leaders (NWHOTL) was not told about this initiation school, said Gaoganediwe.

NWHOTL chair Kgosi Motsatsi and health department officials would visit the school and the youths in hospital on Friday, said Gaoganediwe.

- SAPA