Cops suspect 14 initiates in teen's slaying

A 16-year-old was beaten to death, allegedly by 14 initiates who accused him of stealing their food [ibhekile] at an initiation camp in Komga.

The killing took place just before 8am on Wednesday, said Eastern Cape co-operative governance & traditional affairs (Cogta) spokesperson Mamnkeli Ngam.

Ngam said the boy was suspected of being behind a week-long food [ibhekile] theft spree  at the camp.

According to Ngam, the initiates set a trap for the victim, surrounded him and set on him with sticks.

Ngam said Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha has condemned the incident in the strongest possible terms.

“I can confirm that 14 initiates are being investigated by the police for the murder. They allegedly tied up the youth and proceeded to beat him. After a while, they noticed he was not breathing and called for help. When help arrived it was too late, he was already dead.”

Ngam said the police were piecing together evidence on the scene.

“No initiate had been arrested so far. A postmortem will be conducted on the body to confirm the cause of  death but what we hear is that the boys used sticks to bludgeon the victim to death.”

Ngam said the incident had added salt to an “already bleeding and painful wound" caused by abuses of the rite.

The killing follows 21 initiate deaths in the Eastern Cape since the start of the summer initiation season.

“We are still battling with the unnecessary deaths of initiates in initiation schools — the very same initiation schools where we nurture boys to become responsible men who are going to contribute constructively to building the South African nation. This is very sad indeed.”

Nqatha said: “As the department, we want to encourage the police to do a thorough investigation and leave no stone unturned in finding the exact perpetrators of this crime.”

On Christmas Eve in 2017, five initiates were arrested at an initiation school in Berlin for killing a local woman, Nolulamo “Lulu” Faku, 59. For traditional reasons, women are forbidden at initiation schools.

At the time police said Faku died from injuries after she was struck with knobkieries and sticks. She was found outside an initiate's hut at 10pm.

Three of the initiates accused of the killing were taken to jail and two, who were under age, were released into the custody of their parents.

Eastern Cape police spokesperson Captain Mluleki Mbi said the SAPS and Cogta were working together in the investigation into the latest incident.