Probe confirms rape and assaults at church

A probe into a controversial KwaZulu-Natal church has found that it stopped practising virginity inspections on its members.

The CRL Rights Commission's findings come after the Kwasizabantu Mission was accused of conducting forced virginity inspections. There were also allegations of rapes and assaults.

However, the report found that virginity inspections at the religious institution - near Kranskop - were abolished after complaints in the media three years ago.

The report released on Thursday also found, among other things, that a rape incident had occurred at the church, the institution was not a cult and did not in recent history beat up its members as a form of punishment.

However, the commission said it was not unlawful for the church to carry out virginity inspections.

“The commission promotes and protects virginity inspections as a cultural practice, however, it should be practised in a manner that is not inconsistent with other rights in the Bill of Rights...

“...it is found ... that indeed a rape took place in the mission as confirmed by the mission and the KwaZulu-Natal provincial SAPS [and that] the perpetrator is serving his sentence in jail,” read the report.

The CRL commission launched the probe in October 2020 after reports of alleged violations of religious rights of past and present KwaSizabantu congregants.

“Complainants alleged that the mission practised virginity inspection. These practices were even imposed on people who had nothing to do with the cultural practice. When an allegation of rape is reported by some members of the mission, the mission would perform a virginity inspection to check if the rape did indeed take place. It is alleged that the practice was forcefully performed on black children, and on some white students. Some alleged that the practice is still taking place in the mission,” read the report.

There were also complaints that children were brutally beaten up as a form of punishment for wrongdoing.

“Some would be beaten while naked for minor things and get locked in the rooms for 24 hours. Children of co-workers would be punished publicly to set an example to other children, by making them mop the floor with their hair while their legs are up. They further alleged that drug addicts would be beaten until they pee on their pants. It is alleged that one person died after he was corporally punished by one of the church leaders."

However, the commission found that indeed beatings as a form of punishment took place at KwaSizabantu before the abolition of corporal punishment in schools.

“...however, [beatings were] stopped when the laws abolishing corporal punishment in schools came into effect,” read the report.

CRL chairperson Prof David Mosoma told Sowetan that when they were conducting interviews, they found that current and former church members who had made various allegations had described the church and its leaders as powerful to an extent that they were scared to confront the leaders with the allegations.

The report recommended that the church should apologise to the complainants and or former members for the hurt which they could have caused as a result of the practices at the mission.

“That most of all, reconciliation between the mission and the former members, who have been hurt or wronged by these practices, be facilitated for the purpose of peace and unity. The commission is willing to facilitate such reconciliation initiatives,” said the report.