South African police rescued approximately 200 people living in overcrowded and inhumane conditions during a raid on an alleged illegal rehabilitation centre in Siyabuswa, Mpumalanga, on Thursday. Officials found individuals suffering from physical sores, locked water taps, and in some instances, chained to one another inside a premises operating under the guise of a church.
The Raid and the Discrepancy in Numbers
The operation was executed by officials from the Department of Social Development in the Nkangala district alongside the South African Police Service (SAPS). According to TimesLIVE, the facility’s operators—a 59-year-old man and his 58-year-old wife—initially claimed they were housing only about 60 people at the Waterval B location. However, a physical inspection uncovered more than triple that figure.
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Police spokesperson Brig Donald Mdhluli confirmed that the occupants included more than 30 women, alongside men ranging in age from 22 upwards. Officials also documented minors on the premises, noting an 11-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl housed among the adult population. Conditions inside the building were described by the Department of Social Development as grossly inhumane, with up to 37 individuals forced to share a single room.
Financial Arrangements and Living Conditions
Investigators established that residents at the facility were charged a monthly fee of R3,000. Of this amount, R1,300 per person was reportedly funnelled directly to the church through a network of individuals referred to as “scouters.” eNCA reported that Mpumalanga Social Development official Tebogo Matoane-Nkabinde highlighted the familiar modus operandi of illicit entities camouflaging themselves as religious institutions while failing to provide basic sanitation, clean water, or legitimate medical care.
Many of the individuals brought to the facility originated from outside the immediate district, hailing from areas including Soweto, Springs, Rustenburg, and Mamelodi. Some occupants had reportedly been held at the unregistered centre for more than six months.
Legal Actions and Ongoing Investigations
The couple face multiple criminal charges, including kidnapping, operating an unregistered treatment centre, and violating environmental health bylaws alongside the National Health Act. East Coast Radio noted that the suspects were taken into police custody and are scheduled to appear in the Mdutjana Magistrate’s Court in Siyabuswa on Monday.
During the Thursday night raid, 14 individuals required immediate transfer for emergency medical treatment. Meanwhile, specialized units under the direction of Mpumalanga police commissioner Lt-Gen Apaphia Modise continue to gather evidence and identify other potential conspirators linked to the operation.
Family Reunification and Support Services
The Department of Social Development has initiated contact with parents and guardians to coordinate the safe return of the rescued individuals. Officials stated that those released will be referred to local social development services in their home regions to guarantee continuity of care and psychological support following their extraction from the facility.
