Traditional healer rapes woman he's treating for tokoloshi

A traditional healer appeared in the Eshowe Magistrate's Court on Thursday for allegedly raping a women he was treating, KwaZulu-Natal police said.

He would be back in court on Friday and remained in custody, said Colonel Vincent Mdunge in a statement.

"The traditional healer had diagnosed the woman as being possessed by the tokoloshi," he said.

"On December 3 [Monday] the women was allegedly instructed by the traditional healer to meet her at 7pm for further treatment to get rid of the tokoloshi."

The healer told the woman to come alone and not tell anyone she was receiving treatment from him.

After she arrived, the healer allegedly took the woman into nearby bushes and started to treat her.

He allegedly rubbed the woman's stomach with ointment, began touching her and then raped her.

The healer, 55, was arrested on Tuesday.