19-year-old Onalenna dies after forced initiation

A GRADE 12 pupil at Tlego Tawana Secondary School in the North West has died after he was allegedly forcefully taken to an initiation school.

- MANYANE MANYANE

Onalenna Booi, a 19-year-old from Ditlhakong East Village, near Mafikeng, was taken to the initiation school after writing his matric examinations in late November. It has been reported that his family was unaware of his whereabouts.

He was found dead on December 26, after a case of a missing person was reported to the police.

Expressing his sadness, school principal Pogo Tshipo said he was expecting a bachelor’s pass from the deceased learner.

“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 hardworking groups of learners. I remember that I spoke to him around September 2025 and he promised to do well in his examinations,’ said Tshipo.

He added: “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. 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 at the school”

North West MEC for Education, Vela Motsumi, has called on police to get to the bottom of this matter and find those responsible for this tragedy.