A 51-year-old South African pastor has been arrested for r3pe and sexual assault of church members under the pretence of offering them healing.
The pastor from Endlovini, Khayelitsha, was arrested on Saturday, February 2025 after being accused of r3ping and impregnating a minor and young women, which sparked protests in the community.
He is expected to return to court on Wednesday, February 5 for a bail application.
SAPS spokesperson Wesley Twigg said that the Khayelitsha Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit swooped on the pastor after claims were made that he assaulted and raped victims at his church between November 2022 and January 2025.
“It is alleged that people would go to the pastor for healing and he would tell them healing is possible but then the victims had to stay at the church and that is where he would convince them to have s3xual intercourse with him to receive the healing,” Twigg said.
“The community became aware of his behaviour and had a community meeting and it was then when two victims came forward and made the claims.”
“The victims 15, 22 and 23 are safe and are receiving treatment and counselling.”
Twigg said that the suspect appeared in court last week where the case was remanded until 5 February 2025 at the Khayelitsha Magistrates’ Court.
NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila confirmed that the matter has been remanded for bail application.
“He is currently facing one count of rape and one of assault grievous bodily harm (GBH).”
Last Sunday, January 26, the community went to protest outside the church, calling for it to be shut down.
The news of the charges has not entirely appeased the community as they claim that more rape charges need to be added.
Sethu Ngqoyiyana, a community activist, said that he receives a lot of gender-based violence cases on Facebook with people coming to him with their stories. Thereafter he refers them to the authorities.
“This young girl came to me, telling me that there is a pastor, and she alleged that the pastor r3ped her and that the pastor forced her to marry him. She also claimed that the pastor had assaulted her many times.
“When we went there, we wanted the church to cease all operations because there are a lot of girls staying there. We don’t know whether all these girls are victims …only three have come out and accused the pastor of r3ping them and assaulting them.
“There is a lot that can happen there, and we want to prevent something further from happening there… There are a lot of young girls in that church,” Ngqoyiyana said.
In an interview with Newzroom Africa, one of the victims said: “He told me that the prophecy said in order for my mother to be healed, I would have to marry him. The women at the church supported this.
“I remember calling my younger sister to tell her that I would marry him for the sake of my mom’s health. When intoxicated, he would hit me and become violent.
“I remember telling him while I was in hospital that I had miscarried. It was my second time miscarrying his child… I don’t want to lie. I believe he r3ped me and I was forced into a marriage with him because it was to satisfy himself.”
Another community activist, Thembisa Skaap, said that the religious leader must be charged with r3pe.
“His behaviour will not tolerated in the community at all,” Skaap said.
