Deadline to apply for Winter Initiation school permit extended

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The Gauteng Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee (PICC) has announced the extension for permit application deadline for 2025 winter initiation school.

With the initial closing date for applications set for January 31, the committee said due to the slow responses from prospective applicants, it was decided to extend the closing date.

The PICC has since urged prospective principals to apply before the closing date and warned that applications received after February 14, will not be considered.

According to Kiba Kekana, Gauteng PICC spokesperson, initiation must be held during the relevant provincial school holidays and may not interfere or overlap with official school terms.

He said the opening and closing of the winter and summer Initiation seasons in Gauteng will follow the school’s calendar with the initiation schools hosted between June 28 to July 21.

“Opening and closing dates for initiation schools attended exclusively by initiates who have already completed secondary education will be hosted between May 1 to July 21 – any school operating outside the dates prescribed, will face legal consequences.

”During the recently concluded summer initiation season, we received reports of unfortunate incidents where three initiates lost their lives in the Sedibeng district municipality,” he expressed.

Kekana highlighted that these incidents are treated with great urgency and regret and are currently the subject of investigations by the law enforcement officers.

Adding that all efforts are in place to prevent the loss of life and injuries during the upcoming winter initiation season.

Outlining punitive measures that will be taken against transgressions of the customary initiation act, Kekana cited any school person who holds a non-registered initiation school or is involved in any initiation practices at such non-registered initiation school.

”Accept an initiate who is under the age of 16 and initiate without receiving the required medical certificate or consent form is guilty of an offence and liable for conviction to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 15 years or to both a fine and such imprisonment.”

No initiation school before and beyond holidays

He also emphasised that anyone who forces any person to attend an initiation school or who forges any consent form or obtain such consent by means of duress will be guilty of an offence.

Such parties will also be liable for conviction to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years or to both a fine and such imprisonment.

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“The initiation school that commences before or beyond school holidays will be suspended to hold initiation and will be found guilty of an offence.

“It will be liable upon conviction to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years or both a fine and such imprisonment as per provision of section 33(4) of the customary initiation act,” he remarked.