‘My boy was killed like a dog’
14-year-old beaten to death at illegal initiation school after asking for drinking water
A 14-year-old boy was beaten to death after he allegedly tried to escape from an initiation school after he was refused water.
Tlotlo Sedibe from Setlopo village in Mahikeng apparently left his home on November 28, following his friends who were going to an illegal initiation school. According to his family, as part of the training at the school they were not allowed to drink water for seven days. Six days after he was there, he was severely beaten to death as he was apparently trying to run away from the school due to thirst, his parents said.
They also alleged that the principal of the school took their son against their will. The boy’s parents said they even begged him to free their son but he refused, saying that he had already began with the rituals of the rite of passage to manhood.
The family said they also believed their son was lured by other boys who always hung around the village looking for potential initiates to entice or abduct.
His father, Dan Sedibe, said the school head, Steven Koboyatshwene Sello, came to their house on the same night his son went missing. Sedibe said he told him that his son was at his school and could not be released.
He said he was then asked to sign a consent form which he refused. “I told him to return my son but he refused.” The family said what pained them was that their son was already circumcised at the hospital and that their culture did not include taking boys to initiation schools.
He said last week, Sello came back to their home and told him that his son was killed at his school.
His wife, Oumakie Sedibe, said she heard her husband screaming from outside their home. “I heard my husband screaming that people have killed his son, I was confused.” At that time it was when Sello, who is also a principal at Barolong High School, came to report the incident.
They said Sello told them that their son was beaten to death at the initiation school. While pleading with him to bring back their son, the parents said Sello said they need not worry because their son was in good hands. “He promised us that our son was in good hands, he assured us his safety and then came back to tell us that he was dead. They killed him like a dog,” she said.
The parents said the death report sketches showed that both his knees were broken, he had a cut on his head and bad wounds and bruises all over his body.
Tlotlo’s father said after hearing about the news he wanted to kill himself. “My son was not sick, he was brutally killed. I nearly took my life as well; he was my last born.” He said Sello took him to the scene where he found the body of his son covered in blood and a rope tightened around his waist.
The family had already taken Tlotlo for circumcision at the local hospital.
“I wonder how did they
The case under investigation is murder. One suspect has been arrested. Colonel Adele Myburgh
NORTH WEST POLICE SPOKESPERSON
circumcise him on top of the first medical circumcision; my son was brutally killed.” Tlotlo was in grade 5. North West department of culture, arts and traditional affairs spokesperson Shuping Sebolecwe said the school was shut down following the death of an initiate.
He also confirmed that the school was illegal. He said Sello had, however, applied for a permit.
“He had not been granted a permit due to his application awaiting documentation.” Sello declined to comment, on the “serious” matter.
“I do not want to comment, this is very serious. It’s in the hands of the police,” he said. North West police spokesperson Col Adele Myburgh said the case under investigation was murder. She said one suspect was arrested.