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Pastor arrested for rape in Khayelitsha

  • A 50-year-old pastor from St Angels Church in Khayelitsha has been arrested for allegedly raping teenagers at his church.
  • Community groups closed the church after hearing about the abuse that reportedly started in 2021.

A pastor who claimed he possessed healing powers has been arrested for rape in Khayelitsha’s Ndlovini informal settlement.

The 50-year-old church leader from St Angels Church was arrested on 19 January after a teenager reported him to the police.

On Sunday, community groups shut down the church after hearing about the allegations.

Sindile Prince Sigcau from the Men’s Forum said they investigated after hearing about the case.

“We followed up and met the victims before visiting the area to close the church on Sunday. We are shocked at how the pastor is treating young kids using the name of God and also ancestors, as he also uses herbs to heal people,” said Sigcau.

The pastor allegedly gave food and shelter to teenagers to keep them quiet.

Some of the alleged rape incidents date back as far as four years back.

“His schedule starts by sending kids to do things like making his bed for him, and when they are inside his house, which he calls ‘parliament’, he will follow and allegedly rape them. When he is done, he will get another child,” said Sigcau.

One victim told Scrolla.Africa she came to the church in 2021 when she was sick.

“I ended up in his church because I was sick; my mother took me there so that he could heal me. No one knew that he was going to rape me. He sent me to his house to prepare the bed for him, and while I was there, he arrived and started by tearing my clothes, beating me up, and raping me,” she said.

She said the abuse went on for a long time.

“I didn’t enjoy the 25th of December last year because I had a swollen body from being assaulted by him. I had to lie to other people by saying that I fought with someone while I was protecting him, but I had enough of the abuse and decided to report him to the SAPS,” she said.

Traditional healer Thembisa Skaap was shocked that some women still supported the pastor.

“What I saw yesterday is very shocking. I wonder what women will do or say if he rapes their children tomorrow or if they only know the pain when it happens in their homes,” said Skaap.

Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi confirmed the arrest.

The victim “alleges that she was raped by a male known to her, who is a pastor, who told her that she would be healed from her medical condition. She would be assaulted when refusing to sleep with him,” said Swartbooi.

Pictured above: A St Angels Church pastor has been accused of raping young girls in his church in Ndlovini informal settlement in Khayelitsha township, Cape Town.

Source: Buziwe Nocuze