Question NW725 to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
06 April 2023 - NW725
Opperman, Ms G to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
What is the total number of persons that her department reported to the SA Police Service for causing the high number of deaths of initiates in the past 10 years?
Reply:
Through the office of the Deputy Minister which played a significant role in encouraging and supporting families to report to the South African Police Services (SAPS) to open criminal cases against Izincibi and Amakhankatha who have kidnapped and taken the under-age children to Initiation school without parental concert and permission.
According to the information at the disposal of the Department, received from the Provinces by the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders (NHTKL), through the South African Police Services (SAPS) and the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) from the year 2012 to 2018, there were two hundred and forty (240) arrests in relation to initiation related casualties.
The Honourable member is requested to note that according to section 31(1) of the Customary Initiation Act, 2021 (Act No. 2 of 2021) principals of initiation schools concerned are responsible for reporting the deaths of initiates.
In this regard, section 31 of the Act provides that if an initiate dies while attending an initiation school, the principal of such school must immediately inform among others, the South African Police Service.
End