Former South African former Minister of Arts and Culture, Paul Mashatile has raised alarm of criminal activities around education in south Africa, urging parents and guardians to mind whose custody their children are. He stated the need for school owners to register their institutions with appropriate bodies in order not to be treated as illegal entities in the state.
“We are aware of dubious and criminal elements taking advantage of this cultural practice. Hence, in instances where unregistered initiation schools are identified, the children attending such schools must be regarded as abducted and relevant legislation must be enforced to bring those unscrupulous elements to book.”
Paul Mashatile kicked against the unnecessary elongation or shortening of school calendar. He however made grounds for exceptional circumstances, stating that school proprietors must meet with officials to explain their reasons in the case of eventualities.
News24 reports that Paul Mashatile said: “Under no circumstances should initiation schools commence before a school holiday or continue beyond a school holiday. In exceptional cases, the owner of the initiation school shall negotiate and substantiate, with evidence, why the school shall not conform to the dates endorsed by the province.”
In the bid to see full compliance with the law, Mashatile has call on the law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute andany defaulter.
“The Gauteng provincial government urges municipalities to enforce the by-laws without fear or favour, and for law-enforcement agencies to act firmly against those breaking the law in exploitation of this cultural practice.”
