Mom sounds alert after son abducted to initiation school
A Cloverdene mother is urging parents to be vigilant this initiation season after her 16-year-old son was abducted and taken to an illegal initiation school without her knowledge or consent.
The initiation process is an African cultural practice that marks the transition of young men into adulthood.
The single mother, who will remain anonymous to protect her child's identity, said her son told her he was attending a friend's birthday party on April 26, but he never returned home that night.
The desperate mother said that on April 27, she began asking neighbours about his whereabouts.
'Eventually, someone told me he had been taken to a mountain school. Initial information suggested it was to KwaNdebele, Mpumalanga, but I later discovered he was being held in Mabopane, Pretoria.'
She said she later learnt that another boy who recruits children into these schools lured her son.
'I was told that once children are taken to these illegal initiation schools, parents are expected to pay between R1 500 and R4 000 for their children to be circumcised and released.'
The mother said she contacted the police, who told her that only if she could confirm her son's exact location could she open a missing person's case. Once she received solid information, she was advised not to go directly to the school but to report to the Mabopane Police Station.
Not knowing where she was going, she took a taxi alone and arrived at the station on April 30 at about 20:30.
'I told the police about my child and my neighbour's missing child, as well. Officers took down the boys' details and went to the area where they were being held. They came back in the early hours of the morning. I was told that at 04:00, they were going to be initiated.
'I'm thankful I acted quickly. As a single mother, I wouldn't have had the money to get him out. Our culture is Zulu, so this is not even our tradition.'
The mom said that with no funds to return home, she and the boys had to sleep at the police station until someone sent her money.
Although her son was physically unharmed, she says the experience has left him emotionally shaken.
'He is now always anxious, jumpy and scared. He definitely needs counselling,' she said.
'My advice to parents is that they must watch their children and speak to them so they can tell you whatever is bothering them, especially if they are being bullied into going to these illegal initiation schools,' said the mother.
Crystal Park SAPS warns learners
To curb the abduction of boys into illegal initiation schools, the Crystal Park SAPS recently held an awareness talk at Chief Albert Luthuli Secondary School.
Crystal Park SAPS spokesperson Sergeant Lerato Mopeli told the male learners not to feel pressured or question their manhood if they did not attend an initiation school.
She urged them to walk in groups after or before school, warning of a reported Quantum minibus abducting children.
Mopeli said they chose the school after reports surfaced of a learner allegedly recruiting and bullying others into attending illegal schools. She urged the learners to report bullying and discrimination to their teachers or the police.
SAPS rescues 25 initiates
A joint operation involving the SAPS, the Departments of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Social Development in Tshwane on May 15 saw 11 girls and 14 boys rescued from an illegal initiation school.
The children were from Daveyton, Etwatwa and Putfontein.
Also Read: Four missing Daveyton boys found at initiation school in Mpumalanga
Also Read: 'Initiation practices have no place in our school'
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
5 hours ago
- IOL News
DA demands answers after top crime boss vanishes amid R45 million property scandal
Major-General Philani Lushaba, the Chief Financial Officer of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Intelligence unit, has allegedly vanished just as authorities were preparing to question him about his involvement in financial misconduct linked to properties valued at over R45 million. According to the Democratic Alliance (DA) member of Parliament, Dianne Kohler Barnard, Lushaba failed to report for duty on the morning of 6 June. Barnard said the alleged disappearance comes just as the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Investigating Directorate sought to question him, reportedly over a multi-million Rand property scandal. At the heart of the scandal, are two high-value acquisitions: a luxury boutique hotel in Pretoria North, purchased for R22.7 million, and a commercial property in Berea, Durban, acquired for R22.8 million.
The Citizen
11 hours ago
- The Citizen
‘Using k-word is illegal': Northern Cape teacher fired for racist outburst loses reinstatement battle
He was dismissed last year after being found guilty at a disciplinary hearing of calling two African pupils the k-word. A teacher in the Northern Cape has failed in his attempt to return to work after being dismissed for using a racial slur against two black pupils. Gerhard Louw took the Northern Cape department of education to the Education Labour Relations Council, arguing that his dismissal was unfair. At the time, Louw was employed at Technical High School Kimberley, where he taught technology and automotive subjects. He was dismissed in November last year after being found guilty at a disciplinary hearing of calling two African pupils the k-word. The arbitration proceedings were held on 8 April and 22 May. Pupils testify after Northern Cape teacher appeals dismissal over k-word During the hearings, the provincial department called two pupils to testify. The first witness, a Grade 12 at the time of the incident, said she was among seven girls who were transferred from the Northern Cape High School hostel to the Technical High School hostel on the evening of 23 June 2024. Upon their arrival, Louw – who was one of the supervisors at the hostel – emerged from his residence and expressed displeasure at the girls being relocated to 'his hostel'. She testified that Louw conveyed his frustration to their driver, Mr Tshabalala. After Tshabalala returned to the vehicle, Louw allegedly approached her and another pupil and accused them of tarnishing the school's reputation, then called them the k-word. ALSO READ: Racism in schools: born-free generation faces lingering inequality challenges She said that both she and the other pupil were shocked, as they had done or said nothing to provoke such language. She also indicated that a third pupil might have overheard the incident. The pupil added during cross-examination that they reported the incident to their families and the hostel's centre manager instead of Tshabalala, who was the groundsman and head of security. Tshabalala later advised them to report the matter to the authorities once schools reopened. The second witness, who was the third pupil mentioned, confirmed the first witness's testimony and added that Louw had yelled at the girls in the presence of his wife. Northern Cape teacher denies using racial slur Louw testified as the sole witness in his own defence. He stated that at the time of the incident, the hostel was occupied by boys attending winter school and that he felt it was inappropriate for girls to stay there as well. The teacher claimed to have warned the girls that they would be asked to leave if they did not behave. Louw insisted he could not recall using the k-word. He also contended that neither school management nor Tshabalala informed him of the allegations and he only became aware of the matter weeks later when he was served with legal documents. READ MORE: Eastern Cape teacher fails to get job back after being fired for fabricating marks of 200 matric pupils According to Louw, he never saw the girls again after the incident. During cross-examination, Louw admitted to being angry during the interaction, but again denied using the racial slur. He also said he could have called his wife and a second person to support his version of events, as they were present during the conversation. Louw asked for reinstatement on the grounds of what he claimed was unfair dismissal. Arbitrator upholds dismissal In a 5 June ruling, the arbitrator found that the testimonies of the two pupils were credible and consistent, making them reliable witnesses. 'A mere denial by the applicant is not enough to sustain a plea of not guilty when faced by allegations of this nature. 'The usage of the word 'k****r' is not just illegal and degrading to the humanity and dignity of the learners, but it reminds us all of the horrible past of our country,' the award reads. The arbitrator also pointed out that Louw agreed with almost every detail of the pupils' accounts, except the use of the racial slur. 'If the applicant was really truthful about this, surely his wife and Mrs van der Lith would not have deemed it troublesome to come to this council and to corroborate his version.' Describing Louw's conduct as 'despicable', the arbitrator concluded that the teacher being fired was an appropriate sanction and 'a matter of last resort'. Therefore, the dismissal was 'substantively fair'. 'In this democratic South Africa, people like the applicant are anti-transformation and should not be allowed near children and the good citizenry of our society.' NOW READ: Can you get fired for being racist? Here is what employers and employees need to know
IOL News
11 hours ago
- IOL News
Tragic shooting at Cape Town taxi rank claims four lives amid ongoing conflict
Police and crime scene investigators at the Mfuleni taxi rank after a tragic shooting claimed four lives and left three others injured this morning. SAPS urges anyone with information to assist in bringing the perpetrators to justice. Image: Henk Kruger / Independent Media Desperate families stood outside the police cordon, anxiously awaiting to identify the bodies of their loved ones, who had been gunned down in an attack at a Cape Town taxi rank. Many arrived in large numbers as the police combed the scene for clues. One woman explained that she had been told her husband was among the four victims killed at the Mfuleni taxi rank on Monday at around 6am. 'I called my husband's number several times. It rang but wasn't answered, and that's when I knew he had been killed.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Four Codeta members were killed and three were injured, including a commuter. Image: Henk Kruger / Independent Media The family requested to see his body, in accordance with their cultural practices, to send off his spirit before it was removed from the scene. However, the police requested that they wait until the area was cleared to avoid further chaos. Major-General Bongani Maqashalala, deputy police commissioner for the detection division, confirmed that two gunmen had stormed a Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta) office, killing four men and injuring three others. 'One of the three injured is a commuter. We believe the suspects used high-calibre firearms, as evidenced by the crime scene. We have since increased police presence to ensure the safety of commuters.' A distraught woman is comforted by the police as she tries to run to her shot brother at Mfuleni taxi rank in Cape Town. Image: Henk Kruger / Independent Media Maqashalala suggested that the motive behind the attack was related to the ongoing conflict within the taxi industry. 'Codeta has a permit to operate in Somerset West but does not have a taxi rank there. We believe this is causing tension with the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata),' he said. The situation is being monitored by the Department of Mobility. The police have announced a reward of R100,000 for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Codeta chairperson Nceba Enge explained that the association had previously written to the MEC of Mobility on August 29, 2024, notifying them of partial services on the M18 route, as Cata operators had prohibited their return with passengers. 'Despite a notice issued on June 3, 2025, to resume operations, upon doing so, Cata operators blocked legal operations, leading to a meeting scheduled for next week. Unfortunately, the dispute escalated into violence, resulting in this tragic loss of life.' Codeta has called on the Western Cape government to strengthen the regulatory framework to protect both taxi operators and commuters. They also urged for enhanced safety measures to prevent further incidents. The shooting occurred just across the road from the Mfuleni satellite police station. 'The conduct of the attackers showed this was no random act; it was planned. The police station was operational at the time, and we had been monitoring the Somerset West route. This remains one of the motives we are investigating,' Maqashalala added. In response, police have deployed additional officers around taxi ranks and have identified potential threats. Maqashalala also urged taxi association members to remain calm. 'We request their cooperation, and we are scheduled to meet with the Department of Mobility. To the community, we ask that they come forward with any information that could assist us in the investigation.' Western Cape Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Anroux Marais expressed deep concern over the violence. 'It is devastating to see such incidents in our communities. We've been working closely with the SAPS and LEAP services to apprehend the perpetrators and stabilise the industry. The illegal firearms on our streets are also a major concern. We all know that the SAPS is understaffed, and that is why we have been calling for the devolution of policing powers to the province."
