A person who has not been to an initiation school cannot visit similar institutions and spend nights there.

This was the reaction of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) after Public Service and Administration Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi said he had visited his brother-in-law and stayed a few nights at a Limpopo initiation school.

“Only people who have been initiated can visit initiation schools and at no stage can we allow visits by uninitiated people in our schools, be it during the day or at night,” Contralesa president Kgoshi Setlamorago Thobejane said yesterday.

Ramatlhodi, a former premier of Limpopo, was allegedly seen inside the school in GaMakgaba near Solomondale, situated in the bushes near GaDikgale village.

“Anyone entering an initiation school without having been initiated is considered a trespasser,” Thobejane said.

“It is totally unacceptable and illegal to enter initiation schools without having been initiated, be it through laws of the country or not.”

The 61-year-old minister was reportedly booked in at the school on Wednesday.

Thobejane confirmed knowledge that Ramatlhodi had been present at an initiation school but requested the matter not to be made public until we get “it from the horse’s mouth”.

“I’m aware that Ramatlhodi was admitted at an initiation school but please let’s respect his right to privacy,” he said.

But Ramatlhodi denied he was being initiated.

“I can confirm that I have visited and spent a few nights at an initiation school in Solomondale, in the company of Kgoshi Malesela Dikgale, but only went there as a visitor,” said Ramatlhodi, saying he was at his house in Makgoebaskloof.

A source said Ramatlhodi seldom mingled with other initiates but spent most of his time inside a secluded tent.

“Though we’ve been barred from revealing initiates’ identities without their permission, I can safely confirm that Ramatlhodi is among the initiates at the school.”

He said the school had four tents used by initiates but one of them was accommodating Ramatlhodi alone.

“I went to check what was happening inside that tent and saw Ramatlhodi.”

The minister’s elder brother, Silas, said no one in their family had been initiated.

He said by virtue of their membership of the Zion Christian Church, they were not permitted to go to an initiation school.

“For what I know, my brother was circumcised at a hospital in Lesotho where he had gone into exile in 1980,” said the elder brother.

A close relative, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the minister had missed two important family events, which was “unusual and strange”.

“. he has not attended two funerals in the past two weekends and his whereabouts were unknown.”

Dikgale, chairman of the Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders , would only say initiates would be graduating from the school on Friday.

Source: Sowetan