KwaSizabantu Mission: CRL Rights Commission recommends apology to victims

A report into allegations of abuse and neglect at KwaSizabantu Christian Mission near Kranskop in KwaZulu-Natal has recommended that the church make amends with the victims by apologising for their trauma.

The CRL Rights Commission for the past three years has been investigating allegations of abuse, fraud, racism, improper labour practice and doctrine of the church, some of which are from 30 years ago.  

“Although some of the allegations were not tested, the fact that they came in their numbers means something was wrong. With this report we are saying beware, make sure that you take people under your care with dignity and respect. Any abuse is unacceptable," said Prof David Mosoma, chairperson of the commission.

“Faith is an intangible thing, you can’t regulate it, it doesn’t matter what people believe in, as long as it doesn’t harm them.”  

On Thursday the commission released the report after its investigation started three years ago. The commission is of the view that though there was wrongdoing at the church, the mission was not to be considered a cult as the management of the church was not under one authoritarian leader or harmed the congregants.

The report found that indeed rape occurred at the church, virginity testing was practised, corporal punishment was used, but it could not support the claim that the church was a cult as it found to be within the scope of freedom of religion.

In terms of the doctrine of the church, the complainants alleged that sex education was banned at the mission with members forced to confess sins, which they had to invent. Some alleged that confessions made were not kept secret and were used against members, and some were reported to authorities.

Further members of the mission were not allowed to associate with family members who did not go to the church to avoid them getting corrupted.

Many parents have disowned their children as families were allegedly forced to choose between their loyalty to family and the mission. Clothing and hairstyles were strictly regulated and premarital sex and contact with the opposite sex were allegedly prohibited.

“The commission found that the teachings, principle rules of the church are within the scope of freedom of religion.

“For complainants to come forward and relate their past painful experiences due to the practices of the mission, even after decades after they took place, is an indication that those complainants still carry the pain of the past and the hurt they feel,” read the report.

Most of the complainants made allegations of sexual harassment by counsellors in the church, rape within the church, sodomisation and touching of children. In a case where a perpetrator had allegedly raped several women, the church allegedly swept it under the carpet.

The CRL investigators found that the perpetrator had in fact been arrested and was serving jail time and recommended that any other criminal acts should be reported to the police.

"The mission is to apologise to the complainants and/or former members for the hurt which they could have cause as a result of the practices of the mission."

It also said the commission was willing to help facilitate reconciliation between the Mission and its former members.

The mission denied allegations that it was a cult as they did not control people or harm them. “The mission feeds the masses for free and offer free education to those who cannot afford,” said the church.

In the report it commissioned in 2020, the church was found also exonerated to a certain degree.

“It was possible that the people decided to speak out now but the incidents were historical, some of which happened 30 years ago.  “Because what has happened has deeply hurt them, it is therefore important for the church to make amends.”

“It was concluded by the independent investigators that the mission is not a cult, however, some practices were of concern, such as the credibility relating to some of the rape cases, where it was found that the witnesses relied on hearsay evidence.

“Regarding physical abuse, such as corporal punishment, the allegations were found to be credible (before the practice was abolished), even the mission acknowledged it. Virginity inspection was also found to be of concern by the investigators, however, the practice was stopped,” said the independent report.

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