Celani Sikhakhane
A pastor accused of raping 13 children allegedly threatened to kill the victims’ parents if they ever uttered a word about the abuse.
The pastor, whose church is in the rural village of Luvisi in KwaZulu-Natal, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly raping 11 boys and two girls between the ages of five and 17.
The pastor was arrested after two brothers told their parents about the abuse he and the other victims were receiving.
Until then, he had managed to secure their silence by threatening to beat up the children and kill their parents if they ever told them about the abuse.
On Friday, the pastor – who cannot be named – abandoned his bail application after he appeared briefly at Nquthu Magistrate’s Court.
The father of two of the alleged victims – boys aged five and 11 – told Scrolla.Africa that he first realised something was wrong when he noticed a change in his youngest son’s behaviour.
He said the child’s “underwear were always dirty,” even though he was capable of using a toilet. The father tried to ask him why but couldn’t get a straight answer.
“He then told his step mom that he has been raped by the pastor. I then asked my 11-year-old son who revealed that they were both raped.”
Horrified, the parents reported the crime to the police immediately.
The victims are already receiving counselling.
Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza said the pastor lured children to watch cartoons before playing explicit content that he watched with the children before raping them.
KZN National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Kara said the suspect abandoned his bail application on Friday and that his case was postponed to 14 October for further investigation.
