South Africa News

Traditional leaders call for reopening of initiation schools

Most of the businesses and schools are fully operational now after the country was put on Alert Level 1, Matric student has started writing their exams.

Traditional leaders are calling on the government to allow the resumption of summer initiation schools. Winter initiation schools were closed due to COVID-19.

With the initiation season looming, traditional leaders say to avoid the mushrooming of illegal schools government must reconsider its decision.

“Those who are going to be allowed, let them cooperate with the government in terms of social distancing, masks and so on,” said Contralesa President, Kgosi Mathupa Mokoena.

“And we are saying, it can’t be business as usual. If I used to have a hundred initiates, this time even if I get forty or less, it’s fine because this is the culture it’s not a money-making machine.”

Traditional leaders met with Police Minister Bheki Cele in Johannesburg on Friday to discuss their request.

Cele says government will be able to tackle illegal initiation schools.

“We’ll have to pounce and we’ll have to arrest whoever is doing anything that is out of the law and you will remember that COGTA has come with the law on this, anyone who breaks that law, especially that leads to the death and the loss of human life, police will have to act on that,” he said.

He has also urged traditional leaders to fight gender-based violence and femicide while protecting victims of the scourge.

In Other News – Former US Ambassador Samantha Power’s tweet compares Donald Trump to late Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe

Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power compared Donald Trump to notorious Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe following his press briefing on Thursday evening.

Trump and Robert Mugabe

Breaking his 36-hour silence after prematurely declaring victory on Wednesday, the president continued spewing unfounded conspiracy theories about election fraud and illegal ballot-counting as he addressed Americans from the White House.

Once again, he claimed he had won the election, even as ballot counts continue. learn more

Source – eNCA