Staff Reporter
A 19-year-old Grade 12 learner from the North West province died after allegedly being forced to take part in a traditional initiation school shortly after completing his matric exams, the provincial education department said on Sunday night.
The North West Department of Education said it was “shocked and devastated” by the death of Onalenna Booi, a learner at Tiego Tawana Secondary School in Dithakong East Village, near Mafikeng.
The department said Booi was “taken forcefully” to the initiation school after finishing his exams in late November. His family reported him missing to police when they could not determine his whereabouts. Booi’s body was found by his family on 26 December.
The department did not provide details on the alleged initiation school or the circumstances of Booi’s death, but said the matter had been reported to the police.
Tiego Tawana Secondary School principal Pogiso Tshipo said the school was preparing for the 2025 matric results period while mourning the loss of a pupil who would have most likely achieved a university pass.
“As the school principal for this learner, I am extremely devastated by this sad news. I was expecting a bachelor’s pass from this learner because I know that he was one of the hard-working group of learners. I remember that I spoke to him around September 2025 and he promised to do well in his examinations,” Tshipo said.
“He was naughty just like all the learners, but when he started Grade 12, his behaviour drastically changed. You could see that this was a learner who was hungry and determined to perform well in his Grade 12 class. At our school I had 59 Grade 12 learners; now next year I will be releasing the results to only 58 learners. I don’t even know how we are going to handle this process as the school,” Tshipo said.
North West education MEC Viola Motsumi said the department would support the school and family.
“On behalf of the North West Department of Education, I hereby wish to convey my sincerest condolences to the entire family and the school community of Tiego Tawana Secondary School. It is really sad to receive such news while we, as a country, are awaiting the results of the Class of 2025,” she said.
“I am confident that the South African Police Service will be able to get to the bottom of this matter and that those responsible will be found and brought to justice. We will ensure that the family, learners and teachers are provided with psychosocial support during this difficult period,” Motsumi added.
In early December, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa said the Eastern Cape had already recorded deaths and made arrests linked to illegal initiation activities.
“Despite ongoing appeals for vigilance and full compliance with the Customary Initiation Act, the Eastern Cape has already recorded five tragic deaths, one in Buffalo City Municipality, two in Chris Hani District Municipality and two in OR Tambo District Municipality,” said Hlabisa at the time.
He called for unannounced inspections to take place at initiation schools, “particularly in high-risk areas, as part of a rigorous crackdown on unsafe practices and non-compliance”.
South Africa introduced the Customary Initiation Act in 2021 a bid to regulate customary initiation practices and initiation schools, including through oversight structures and compliance requirements.
The Act requires, among other things, that initiation schools be registered ahead of the relevant initiation season, and that norms and standards include age and health requirements and parental consent before circumcision.
It also requires that an initiation school be registered at least three months prior to the commencement of an initiation season, and that the registration is valid only for a specific initiation season, as indicated on the registration certificate.
The education department said a memorial service for Booi would be held on Wednesday, 31 December, at Tiego Tawana Secondary School Hall at 8am.
The funeral service will take place on Saturday, 3 January at house number 10599 in Dithakong East near the Church of Christ, at 7am.
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