Christian Discipline Camp Helps Rebuild Respect Between Parents And Children
JOHANNESBURG — Many parents who are subjected to abuse by their children often suffer in silence and fail to speak out about their pain.
As a result, Prince Motlou, a practicing Christian from South Africa, has a mission to restore broken relationships between parents and their sons and daughters — with help from the Bible — at his discipline camp called “Rising Stars Generations.”
At the core of the discipline is the emphasis on Biblical principles to help children who struggle to honor their parents as required by God in Exodus 20:12.
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The camp, which started in Atteridgeville, a township populated by Africans, has expanded nationally. Now parents from different races and other African countries, as well as the United States and the United Kingdom, bring their children to the camp.
While “Rising Stars Generations” has earned praise from many parents and alumni who say it has helped restore discipline and repair broken family relationships, it has also drawn criticism as part of a broader debate over military-style youth discipline camps. Critics argue that programs in which children are transported to camps against their will, subjected to strict routines and intensive discipline, risk crossing the line into coercion or emotional harm if they lack proper oversight.
Child-rights advocates have questioned whether minors can meaningfully consent to such programs and have raised concerns about accountability, transparency and the potential for abuse in residential settings. The controversy is not unique to South Africa. Similar tough love camps in the United States and elsewhere have faced lawsuits, criminal investigations and growing scrutiny.
Unlike rehabilitation centers, where children are given the choice to desire discipline or to quit drugs, parents choose for their children by contacting the camp leaders to get them from their homes or personally taking them to the camp.
They arrive at the camp below the age of 10 or much older, classified as an “aggressive hooligans,” involved in talking back, gangs, drug abuse and other crimes.
They enter the camp — often kicking and screaming — with little regard for authority. Once there, the children state their names and offenses. In return, their peers declare in unison: “You are fearfully and wonderfully made” in the image of God to reaffirm Psalm 139:14.
They embark on different challenges and are taught good conduct among their peers, in society, and with parents. They are also taught house chores and cooking. They fetch wood from the woods, make a fire on the ground, and cook food in three-legged black pots.
Those who have gone through with the program said they were taught confidence, teamwork, and temper control. Unlike at home, where they sleep in their cozy beds, they sleep in tents. Apart from the tough love they are receiving at the camp, their core right as children — playing — remains a central part of the camp’s activities.
Supporters of “Rising Stars Generations” counter that their program should not be conflated with abusive institutions. They have said the camp is rooted in Christian teaching rather than punishment, emphasizing Bible study, prayer, household responsibilities and rebuilding respect between children and parents.
‘Respect and honor other people’
In a video published by the organization on social media, 12-year-old alumnus of the camp, Logan Lombard, encouraged his peers to control their worst impulses. He said when they are angry, they should find a quiet space and relax.
Lerato Moloto, was previously homeless and battling severe substance abuse on the streets, said, “Respect and honoring other people mean a lot to me right now. My mom would always be shouting every time, but now that I have changed, I don’t get shouted at.”
Daegan Coetzee, 17, said he was reluctant to change because he did not believe it was possible. Therefore, he was “disrespectful to everyone, including the camp leaders.”
But at the camp, they did not only pray, “but learned how to build a relationship with God. …I really enjoyed Bible studies because it helped me to reconnect with God.”
Although Motlou said his focus is on disciplining children, in a recorded meeting with parents, he highlighted that adults often contribute to their children’s misbehavior. He said many mothers are crying as they are left to handle both parental roles alone, after biological fathers abandoned them.
Motlou, who adorns the green badge of the largest church in Africa, the Zion Christian Church, stressed that “99.9% of the crime that is happening around the world is because of fatherlessness, not poverty or unemployment.”
He added: “A child who grows up without a father would not know how to become a good man. They have to learn it on the streets and on the streets, they learn gangsterism. When you leave your house, or when the mother chases out the father, they must know that they kill a nation. Don’t go sleeping around and having many children that you know you are not going to take care of.”
Motlou said the “reason you are not blessed as a man is that you left things behind. The reason things are not going well with the new family you started is that you left somebody behind. If you regard iniquity in your heart, God will not hear your prayers. How do you expect God to bless your current family when you left other kids behind? I don't blame the kids for what they do; it is because of you.”
Support from churches and government
The Rev. Moss Ntlha of The Evangelical Alliance of South Africa said churches welcome every effort that strengthens families. He added that churches often receive such cases, stating that about 70% of children are raised without their fathers.
“Often those children have anger issues. They are more likely to drop out of school or to be incarcerated,” he said. “They become delinquent, and many of them are on drugs, and parents are crying. Often churches do not have the skills to address that crisis. Therefore, there is a need for such an intervention, it is a blessing to the family unit.”
Brig. Athlenda Mathe, a national police spokeswoman, said while crime prevention and law enforcement remain the core mandate, they firmly believe that policing is a shared responsibility.
“Over the years, we have seen that when young people are exposed to positive influences, mentorship and opportunities to showcase their talents, they are less likely to engage in risky behavior,” Mathe said. “Programs that celebrate discipline, hard work and resilience complement the efforts of law enforcement in building safer communities.”
Mathe said South African police remain committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure that the youth are empowered to make responsible choices and realize their full potential.
“Ultimately, every young person kept away from drugs, crime and violence is a victory not only for the police,” she said, “but for the nation as a whole.”
Vicky Abraham is an investigative journalist based in South Africa and has reported for the Mail & Guardian, City Press, Assist News, the Nation newspaper in Nigeria and Nation Media Group in Kenya.