Latest news with #PICC
Eyewitness News
11-06-2025
- General
- Eyewitness News
Over 100 school applications approved for Gauteng winter initiation season
JOHANNESBURG - More than 100 initiation school applications have been approved for this winter customary initiation season in Gauteng. With the application process officially closed, the Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee (PICC) said the winter season will begin during the June school holidays. The PICC also added that initiates who are above the school-attending age will start on different dates. The committee's spokesperson, Kiba Kekana, explained that their winter school dates are in line with the Customary Initiation Act. 'We have aligned our dates with the school holidays calendar, starting from the 28th of June and initiation programs will end on the 21st of July. But we also take a note that there are those who are not of school-going age and we decided as the PICC that their commencement date, their start date, should be the 1st of May 2025 and the closing date will be the same as those of the school-going age, that is the 21st of July.'
The Citizen
29-05-2025
- The Citizen
Gauteng man arrested for illegal initiation school and taking in children
The man was arrested in Soshanguve and allegedly initiated children as young as four. The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities is welcoming the arrest of the owner of an allegedly illegal initiation school in Gauteng taking in underage children. A 39-year-old man, who operated his initiation school in Soshanguve in Tshwane, was reportedly arrested yesterday and the school closed. Children as young as four The man, who made headlines after community members claimed he had initiated a four-year-old baby and an 11-year-old, was arrested on Tuesday and is expected to appear in court soon. 'What he did was wrong. There is no culture allowing the initiation of underage children,' said George Mahlangu, deputy chair of the commission. Commission praises swift arrest and closure 'We commend the authorities for attending to the matter. To make things worse this man did not have a permit to operate such a school and he is also underage because to be a principal you need to be at least 40 years old or above, while he is only 39.' Mahlangu urged initiation school owners to respect the law to preserve the good reputation of African culture. ALSO READ: Boy runs away to join initiation school, family given list of items to secure his return Department warns of legal consequences Gauteng department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs spokesperson Mary Martins said: 'The safety of our children is our priority and focus. Any underage child or minor found on the premises will be taken for health screening before being handed over to their parents or legal guardians. We believe this may be an isolated incident.' Martins said the department's provincial initiation coordinating committee (PICC) monitors initiation schools in the province to ensure they comply with the law. She said those who transgress the Customary Initiation Act, 2021, would be dealt with according to legislative provisions. Community urged to report violations Martins said the department, supported by a team of police officers, the department of health and social development, responds to alerts from community members and other community-based forums where unregistered initiation schools, abuse of initiates and abductions have been identified. 'The department would like to urge community members to inform the department of any unregistered or abuse within initiation schools. 'Members of the community or any affected person may report cases to the department via e-mail at Initiation@ za or, via phone, Mluleki Ngomane at 079 874 3680 or Lebogang Bogopane at 079 524 0736.' PICC spokesperson Kiba Kekana said the committee and the department had strengthened the rules and no school could register teens under the age of 16. NOW READ: Calls for 'stronger crime preventions' amid Soshanguve killings
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- The Citizen
Police shut down bogus initiation school, owner (51) arrested
Mamelodi East police have successfully shut down a bogus initiation school and arrested a 51-year-old man on charges of Contravention of the Customary Initiation Act earlier this week. Police spokesperson Constable Penelope Khulong said during the arrest last Saturday, 10 boys aged between 11 and 17 were at the school. She said the initiates were given medical attention and then taken to their families. Khulong said the arrest came after a parent had complained that her son had been accepted into an initiation school without her completing a consent form. The complaint was submitted to the Gauteng Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee (PICC) under the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA). Khulong said a representative of CoGTA received information, and the representatives of the PICC located the school in Mamelodi East. She said the delegation discovered that the school is not on the official list of approved winter initiation schools in the province as published by the CoGTA. She said the suspect could not produce the relevant documentation that is required for the school to operate. 'The PICC representatives informed the suspect that the initiation school was operating illegally and took the complainant's son home,' she said. Khulong said that because of the seriousness of the incident, the PICC representatives reported the matter to Mamelodi East police, who apprehended the suspect on May 21. She said the rescued initiates were given medical attention. Mamelodi East police station commander Brigadier Terence Naidoo applauded the collaborative effort between the CoGTA and police. Naidoo highlighted that this is a period in which different communities around the country observe their customary practices through initiation. He said as much as culture is sacred and different practices are respected, they should still be conducted within the bounds of the law and also put the well-being of initiates first. He indicated that the arrest sends a stern warning to all schools that police will stop at nothing to protect lives in the communities. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Volunteers of America surprises Sorrento preschool with $15K classroom makeover
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Emery's Child Care and Preschool is one of four centers in the Greater Baton Rouge area selected for the 2025 Project PlaySmart makeover. A few lucky childcare centers in the Greater Baton Rouge area just received a major boost—thanks to Volunteers of America South Central Louisiana and their ongoing mission to improve early childhood education across the state. Emery's Child Care and Preschool in Sorrento was surprised with a $15,000 classroom makeover as part of the 2025 Project PlaySmart initiative. The reveal was filled with joy as staff, parents, and students celebrated the transformation of their learning space. 'They're just going to be able to be so creative in this new space,' said Melissa Tramonte, Director of Emery's Child Care and Preschool. The makeover equipped the center with updated furniture, vibrant learning materials, and new toys designed to support early childhood development through play-based learning. The funds came from the Louisiana School Readiness Tax Credit Program, which allows area businesses to direct their tax dollars toward early education improvements. 'We use School Readiness Tax Credits,' explained Tonya Harden, Director of Partnerships and Childcare for Volunteers of America. 'Those are donor funds from area businesses, and we pour that right back into the community.' For Tramonte, the investment in her center means more than just aesthetics—it's about legacy. 'I come from a family of eight children, and at Christmas time when we gather, we're close to one hundred now. So babies is what we know,' she said, smiling. Since 1996, the Partnerships in Child Care (PICC) program has served 23 parishes across Louisiana, offering support for providers and families of children from birth to age five. This year, Emery's was one of two Grand Prize winners. Two additional centers received $10,000 runner-up prizes. 'We learn through play, but what better way to have additional things in that classroom that prepare you for success in life,' said Dr. Moquita Winey, Lead Agency Administrator with the Ascension Ready Start Network. With support from donors and community partnerships, Project PlaySmart has now delivered 63 classroom makeovers statewide—and counting. Southern University's first female student body president dies Louisiana lawmakers discuss key issues ahead of Regular Legislative Session Volunteers of America surprises Sorrento preschool with $15K classroom makeover China threatens countermeasures after Trump threatens additional 50% tariff Growing opposition from House conservatives threatens to derail Trump's agenda Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
