/ 30 June 2002

Seven initiation school victims still in hospital

Seven of the 50 boys admitted to hospital earlier this week after being brutalised at initiation schools in the Heidelberg area were still in hospital on Saturday.

Heidelberg Hospital representative, Adele Momberg, said two of the boys who are in Heidelberg Hospital were in a stable condition and would be released soon.

The staff of Pholosong and Kopanong hospital said the five initiates still in hospital there were also stable.

Earlier this week, five boys died after being assaulted at traditional initiation ceremonies in Ratanda outside Heidelberg.

Five initiation school teachers were arrested and charged with murder and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm after the deaths of the initiates.

Authorities later closed down two initiation schools in the Heidelberg area and an investigation was launched into the running of these schools.

In the Limpopo province, eight initiation schools had been closed down by Friday and a school owner arrested in connection with the death of a boy from the Mokgolobotho initiation school last weekend.

Twenty-one initiates from Khtjwana village and another 53 initiates from Mokgolobotho in the Limpopo province were also hospitalised earlier this week.

Lucky Nchabeleng, representative for the MEC in the Limpopo premier’s office, said on Saturday that most of these boys were still in hospital but that they would probably be released early next week.

”They are recovering very well. Most of them were just treated for shock and for septic wounds in the genital area,” Nchabeleng said. – Sapa