SA accuses Eastern Cape teenager who escaped illegal initiation school of betraying

• An initiate who escaped from an illegal initiation school in the Eastern Cape has been accused of disrespecting the Xhosa tradition
• He escaped in December because he had a wound that refused to heal, and the community is reportedly threatening him with death
• Some South Africans accused him of disrespecting tradition, while others defended his decision to run away

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues like health, corruption, education, unemployment, labour, service delivery protests and immigration in South Africa during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

MDANTSANE, EASTERN CAPE — A teenager who escaped from an illegal initiation school in Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape in December 2024 is fearing for his life. He has received death threats from the community and is currently in hiding.

What happened to the teenager?

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According to SABC News, the 19-year-old said that he went to initiation school because he was influenced by one of his friends. However, he sustained a painful wound which was not healing. He woke up in the early morning and ran away when everyone was sleeping and went to the hospital.

Mdantsane community members reportedly threatened to kill him. He was accused of disrespecting the AmaXhosa culture. He wants to continue with his matric classes, but it has proven difficult because he fears that the community might kill him.

What you need to know about initiation schools

• Authorities in the North West opened cases against 17 illegal initiation schools in July 2024 after officers found irregularities
• Initiates in the Eastern Cape complained in November that extortionists are targeting initiates and demanding protection fees from them
• The Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa called on the government to place a temporary 12-month ban on initiation schools to address illegal initiation schools

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South Africans who supported him

Netizens on Facebook were divided by the teenager's actions.

Nakedi Masemola asked:

"How can he disrespect an illegal initiation school? Where are the indunas of that village? In villages, we don't allow such illegal initiation schools."

Callvin Bllack Yep said:

"Respect the decision the boy has taken."

Bongani Mgubela said:

"Illegal initiation school: who can blame him?"

Those who disagreed with him

Lukhanyo Deliwe said:

"Nonsense! It's not the first time that in Mdantsane a soft initiate runs to the hospital. There have never been death threats against many weaklings before him. This boy must just tell the truth."

Kamva Ndamase said:

"I wonder why he started something he knew that he would not be able to stand."

Siah Akhontwirongo Joleeks said:

"This is a sell-out with unfinished business."

Initiates delivered from initiation school by helicopter

In a related article, Briefly News reported that graduates from an initiation school in the Eastern Cape got a treat of their lives. A helicopter delivered them from the initiation school.

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The incident took place in late December. A family hired a helicopter to deliver two of their family members, and South Africans criticised the gesture.

"The point of going to the mountain is so that they can endure hardship. He should have walked from the mountain to home barefoot," one netien said.

Source: Briefly News