From praying to preying: pastor arrested on child rape charges

A Durban pastor arrested on Thursday will go from the pulpit to the dock for the alleged rape of four young girls in Ntuzuma, outside Durban.

Police spokesman Col Thembeka Mbele said that the 35-year-old man, who has a church in Richmond Farm, had preyed on his young congregants for about three years.

"It is alleged that since 2015, the pastor singled out young girls who were raised by single parents, appearing to play a fatherly role," she said.

"One victim reported that she had asked the suspect to pray for her as she had not been well. The pastor prayed for her and then drove her to his residence where he allegedly raped her," Mbele added.

She said that the young girl had kept quiet for three years, only reporting the attack to police earlier this month.

The three other victims came forward at the same time.  

"Angry members of the community damaged the church tent where he ministered and demanded that he not return to the area," she said.

The clergyman is expected to appear in the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court on Monday.