As preparations begin for the 2025 Winter Customary Initiation Season, the Gauteng Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee (PICC) has placed safety and legal compliance at the centre of its operations, announcing the official closure of the application process for initiation schools.
A total of 103 initiation schools have been granted approval to operate during the winter season. This includes 15 schools for female initiates, with the remainder catering to male initiations. The PICC emphasized that only these registered schools are permitted to operate, and that any school found operating without approval will be shut down and face prosecution.
Strict Dates to Ensure Compliance
To safeguard the well-being of initiates and promote accountability, initiation schools are required to operate strictly within approved timeframes:
- 1 May to 21 July 2025 for initiates not of school-going age
- 28 June to 21 July 2025 for school-going initiates, aligning with school holidays
Schools operating outside these dates will be considered in violation of the Customary Initiation Act and face suspension and legal consequences.
PICC Issues Tough Warning on Illegal Initiation Practices
The Committee has reiterated that unregistered initiation schools pose a serious threat to the safety and dignity of initiates. Under the Customary Initiation Act, offenders may face the following penalties:
- Up to 15 years in prison or a fine (or both) for:
- Operating an unregistered initiation school
- Accepting children under the age of 16
- Accepting initiates without a valid medical certificate or signed parental/guardian consent
- Up to 10 years in prison or a fine (or both) for:
- Forcing someone to attend an initiation school
- Obtaining consent through coercion or forgery
- Up to 3 years in prison or a fine (or both) for:
- Operating schools outside the designated holiday period
Commitment to a Fatality-Free Season
With initiation seasons in the past marred by tragic and preventable deaths, the PICC is calling on all stakeholders — including traditional leaders, law enforcement, health officials, and families — to uphold the law and protect initiates.
“We remain committed to a fatality-free and dignified initiation season, and we urge all role players to work together to ensure that the lives and rights of initiates are respected,” said Mr. Kiba Kekana, spokesperson for the Gauteng PICC.
As the season approaches, the Committee encourages communities to report any suspicious or illegal initiation activity to the authorities.
