A trainee sangoma accused of raping three children was denied bail by the Tonga Regional Court on Tuesday.

Kenneth Sthembiso Metiso, 26, of Mdladla village near Malalane in Mpumalanga, maintained his plea of not guilty on three counts of rape and one charge of skipping bail, a Sapa correspondent reported.

Prosecutor Thulani Msibi asked the court not to grant Metiso bail.

"Your worship, the accused has skipped bail for some years until he was arrested by the tracing police team last year in December, so releasing him on bail would be a big mistake," he said.

Msibi said Metiso's charges were too serious to allow him back into his community, where people expected justice.

"Your worship, I am appealing to the court to reject his bail because he poses a danger to children," he said.

During Metiso's previous appearance in the Boschfontein Regional Court, proceedings came to a standstill when he collapsed. While walking into the dock to testify, he groaned loudly, fell, and writhed.

Metiso told the court he never skipped bail, but was being treated at a sangoma's place in Mdladla village near the Swazi and Mozambican border after falling ill.

He testified that he was initially arrested in 2012 and charged with three rapes. He was released on R1000 bail and told to return to court on February 28, 2012, but never did.

The court had ruled that he be sent to Weskoppies psychiatric hospital for evaluation, but on Tuesday he appeared for a bail application instead.

Magistrate Edgar Moletsane declined his bail application and postponed the case to May 18.