Religious body probes cultism at Kwasizabantu Mission

Kwasizabantu, a Christian mission station in Kranskop, in KwaZulu-Natal.

Kwasizabantu, a Christian mission station in Kranskop, in KwaZulu-Natal.

Published Oct 5, 2020

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Durban - The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities Investigation Committee is in Durban for three days to conduct hearings regarding the allegations of cultism against the Kwasizabantu Mission.

The mission in Kranskop is at the centre of claims of cultism, allegations of physical and sexual abuse, money laundering, and gross human rights violations, following a media exposé on the allegations alleged to date back from the 1980s.

The commission began hearings by listening to the testimonies of some of the alleged victims today.

CRL Commission spokesperson Mpiyakhe Mkholo said there were a number of alleged victims in Durban and Gauteng and, for now, the commission would only listen to the testimonies of seven alleged victims in Durban to hear their claims of sexual abuse, among others, against the mission.

“We received the allegations in the past three months and we took them very seriously.

“We established an investigation and traced the alleged victims. We will, therefore, have more hearings in Gauteng as well in the near future.

The commission will continue tomorrow by meeting with the police and the National Prosecuting Authority regarding the progress of the investigation. On Wednesday, the commission will meet with the Kwasizabantu Mission leaders.

IFP founder and president Mangosuthu Buthelezi has, however, described the mission as a “shining light of community development and industriousness”.

He said yesterday it was “devastating to see this institution damned and damaged before anything could be proven in court”.

Buthelezi called for patience and prayer for everyone involved, saying that the truth would emerge.

Daily News

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