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- KwaSizabantu, a Christian mission in KwaZulu-Natal, is in the spotlight for the unholiest of reasons.
- After several months of intensive investigation, News24 can reveal the level of erosion at one of the biggest missions in Africa.
- In the first episode of a four-part podcast series, Erika Bornman and Celimpilio Malinga share their experiences of living at the secluded mission.
KwaSizabantu, a more than 50-year old Christian mission in KwaZulu-Natal, has found itself at the core of accusations relating to gross human rights violations.
Former members of the congregation have come forward with testimonies accusing the mission of covering up sexual abuse and money laundering.
In the 1980s, at the height of apartheid, Erika Bornman and Celimpilio Malinga both moved to KwaSizabantu.
They were told the mission was a racial utopia - founded on egalitarian values.
However, soon after they settled in, the rose-tinted glasses started to fade.
They say the mission's founder and leader, Reverend Erlo Stegen, soon became a law unto himself.
In this first episode of a four-part podcast series, News24 gets exclusive insight into life inside the enigmatic and sequestered mission, from Bornman and Malinga, who would eventually escape the mission's clutches.
This story is part of a seven-month News24 investigation into accusations of gross human rights violations, alleged money laundering and turning a blind eye to sexual abuse. To read and watch our full series, click here: Exodus | Uncovering a cult in KwaZulu-Natal.
Do you have a KwaSizabantu story to tell? Email us at exodus@24.com.
If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article and you need someone to talk to, please contact the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) on one of these numbers:
- To speak to a counsellor between 8am and 8pm Monday to Saturday, phone 011 234 4837
- For a suicidal emergency, call 0800 567 567
- For the 24-hour helpline, call 0800 456 789.
