A pastor is on the run after allegedly beating up his wife. The police have now issued a warrant of arrest for the pastor.

The assault allegedly comes a few days after the woman gave birth to a baby girl.

Thembi Lebese's husband, 34-year-old Timothy Phehelo Radebe, a pastor in Winterveldt near Pretoria, allegedly beat her unconscious and fled the scene. Lebese, 31, a mother of two, is now hiding from her husband, who is popularly known as "Pastor Touch".

Radebe's abusive streak allegedly started a year ago soon after the couple married.

He was scheduled to appear in the Soshanguve Magistrate's Court yesterday in connection with a protection order Lebese had obtained against him. "I obtained the protection order in January after he had been abusive towards me and my seven-year-old child.

"We were living apart [but both in Winterveldt] at the time," Lebese said.

But Radebe failed to appear, which led to the court issuing the warrant of arrest.

"He brutally assaulted me," Lebese said about the alleged assault last week.

"My lower lip was torn in half, my jaw was broken, while my head is throbbing.

"This after he pushed me against a wall and kicked me all over my body. "After I regained consciousness, I fled the house.

"He thought that I was cheating ... in fact, he was the one who was cheating on me. He continuously threatened to kill me if I reported [the assaults]."

Winterveldt police spokeswoman Constable Petunia Chabangu confirmed that Radebe was wanted in connection with charges of assault, grievous bodily harm and intimidation.