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IOL News
2 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
Call for vetting of pastors, healers as ritual crimes against children shock SA
IOL spent time with chairperson of the Commission for the Promotion of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission), Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva at her offices in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. Image: Jonisayi Maromo/IOL South African communities have experienced various heinous crimes committed by perpetrators, including leaders of faith-based organisations—particularly sangomas and pastors. Earlier this week, IOL reported that a 50-year-old sangoma, Sebokoana Khounyana, appeared before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court in Gauteng facing charges of premeditated murder and human trafficking of two-year-old baby, Kutlwano Shalaba. Gauteng spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Lumka Mahanjana said a charge of premeditated murder was also added against the baby's mother Kuneuwe Portia Shalaba. Kutlwano Shalaba was murdered allegedly by her mother and a sangoma. Image: Facebook Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading The 32-year-old mother was previously facing charges of human trafficking, conspiracy to commit robbery and making a false statement to the police. On Wednesday morning, IOL reported that the specialised occult unit of the South African Police Service (SAPS) has been roped in to probe the brutal murder of Roodepoort teenager Likhona Fose, whose mutilated body was discovered on Sunday. The 14-year-old Grade 8 learner at Ikusasalethu Secondary School in Braamfischerville, Joburg apparently lived with her grandmother, who could not find her on Saturday. Her butchered body was found in an open field, covered with vegetation around Durban Deep, in Roodepoort, Gauteng. Deputy Minister of Police Dr Polly Boshielo has confirmed that the genitalia of a young girl was removed by her killers. As crime experts suggest the possibility of an occult-related murder in the case of Likhona, IOL spoke with Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, chairperson of the Commission for the Promotion of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission), at her offices in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. 'The issue of Child Protection Week is very critical in a country like ours. Our children are not safe—even in their homes, they are not safe. Even in their communities, they are not safe. We are one of those countries which are not fit for children,' she said. 'We are a country that, if we had choices, we wouldn't have children in this country. We are a country that does not pay as much attention as it should, where children are concerned.' 'On basic things like access to education, some children still walk long distances when the transport system fails. Some schools still do not have toilets. So, even before we get to the alarmingly high levels of child abuse in this country, there are already many things that need urgent attention,' said Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva. She said Child Protection Week was an opportunity for South Africans to reflect on their individual contributions to creating safer environments for children. 'As the CRL Rights Commission, we asked: How can we use the Children's Act to protect children? How do we ensure that the Act is implemented? It's an established law that can protect children. We are looking at spaces of worship and sacred spaces,' she told IOL. 'The law says anyone working with children must be vetted—not just teachers.' She emphasised that the law requires anyone working with children to be vetted, yet many religious leaders operate closely with children in their ministries without undergoing the necessary checks. 'Part of what we're asking is: in the religious sector, who is vetting pastors? If I start a church, who vets me? I'll have access to children. Suddenly, I love Sunday School and I'm always with the kids - and parents are thrilled that this nice pastor enjoys spending time with them. But has he been vetted? 'To ensure that pastors, bishops, and archbishops are properly vetted, what systems should be in place?' she said. 'Paedophilia is not something that easily leaves your system. People who prey on children deliberately seek out spaces where they can access them. If I'm a religious leader, I have access. Yet, in this country, we worry about teachers - some of whom are vetted, others not - but we ignore these unregulated spaces.' Mkhwanazi-Xaluva emphasised that the CRL Rights Commission will be tabling the issue of vetting and monitoring of religious leaders across South Africa. 'We are looking at vetting of traditional healers, because they have access to children as well. We are looking at vetting of people who do virginity testing. It is amazing that we have people who are working in a very delicate space in our children's lives and no one is monitoring them,' she said. 'When you have people who say, I want to test children below 16, and I insist on doing that, but I have not been vetted, there is a crisis there, looming. We think it is only men who can do certain things. Anyone can do whatever. This is a gender-free kind of space.' She said South Africa needs to go back to basics in terms of protecting its children. Mkhwanazi-Xaluva emphasised that not anyone with money for a tent and chairs should be allowed to open a church in South Africa. Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said in order to protect children, a regulator should receive applications from religious leaders and do proper vetting including taking fingerprints and identity documents of the applicants. 'We are not talking about new laws. These are laws that exist, implement those laws and the laws that exist take us straight to the Children's Act. So traditional healers, virginity testers, pastors, religious leaders of all kinds whether it is Islam, Jewish, or whatever - who is vetting them? It is the responsibility of the state to protect people. We are saying the state must do its job and its job is to make sure we are all safe, even if we do not see danger, we must be protected,' she said. Earlier this week, IOL spoke to renowned criminologist, Prof Kholofelo Rakubu who is the Head of Department at Tshwane University of Technology's Department of Law, Safety and Security Management, regarding the graphic nature of crime in South Africa, which often targets children. 'There are signs of an occult crime, which the occult crime investigations unit looks for. When they arrive at the scene, there are projects which tell them that this is an occult case. A body part must be missing, a particular body part is taken by the perpetrators and normally the perpetrators are not seen. 'You have not heard of a situation where perpetrators of an occult crime were seen doing it, we hear about it afterwards. That is because they are very professional. They are rational thinkers, they take time to pounce on their unsuspecting victims,' she said. 'To lure them, they take the victims to a designated place, they just do not do the killing at a tavern. They can dump the body somewhere, where it was not killed.' Rakubu, however, warned that the crime of occultic killers might get confused with psychotic killers. 'Sometimes a mentally disturbed person would do the crime in the same manner. They can kill their girlfriend, cut the body into pieces and keep them in a freezer because they are hearing voices and having psychological issues.'
IOL News
24-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
The dilemma of celebrating graduations: balancing joy and respect
Graduations have "become more about loud celebrations than dignified events". Image: Ranquist ACCORDING to educational expert Hendrick Makane graduation ceremonies have "become more about loud celebrations than dignified events". 'As an education activist, I believe these ceremonies should maintain a level of respect and decorum, allowing all graduates to feel celebrated and honoured. 'Excessive noise and disruptions can overshadow other graduates' achievements. Graduation ceremonies are a time to acknowledge individual accomplishments, and loud outbursts can detract from this,' said Makaneta. He said loud noise could also detract from the dignity of the ceremony. Hendrick Makane Image: Supplied 'Graduation is a significant milestone, and maintaining a respectful atmosphere ensures the event's gravity is preserved. To maintain dignity, graduates and families should respect the stage by being mindful of noise levels. 'But equally they must avoid excessive noise that might disrupt the ceremony by respecting the proceedings. It is important to follow the ceremony's structure and timing. The other thing is to consider others, including fellow graduates and guests, ensuring they too can also celebrate their achievements." He said some celebrations, which could make others feel uncomfortable, should be left for home. 'It's advisable for graduates and families to reserve their most exuberant celebrations for after the formal ceremony or at home. This allows the graduation ceremony to maintain its dignity, while still permitting joyful expressions of achievement,' he said. Professor Jonathan Jansen, from the Stellenbosch University, said he enjoyed the celebration spectacle at graduation ceremonies but agreed that over celebrating could take away from other graduates. Professor Jonathan Jansen Image: Supplied 'I like the excitement and enthusiasm of attendees at graduation ceremonies when celebrating the achievements of family members. We have broken the stiffness of European rituals and rigidities and given an African flavour to these events. 'However, there has to be some restraint on what is sometimes excessive celebration that drowns out the announcement of the names of graduates, especially ones following after a particularly loud and sustained outburst by a previous candidate crossing the stage,' said Jansen. Dr Rajendran Thangavelu Govender, the Commissioner of the CRL Rights Commission (Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities), said everyone's culture was different and deserved its own time to shine. Dr Rajendran Thangavelu Govender. Image: Supplied 'It is a big moment when you graduate, and gone are the days of outdated colonial times when one sits quietly at a graduation ceremony. Families and the graduates work hard to graduate, so how they behave is not an issue. The notion of sitting quietly, like it is a solemn occasion, is old fashioned. 'Everyone should have the freedom to scream to acknowledge and celebrate in their own ways. It is all in excitement. We need to understand that we live in a diverse South Africa. Graduations are now colourful and exciting. 'I remember when I graduated with my PhD. I did my dissertation on different cultures and all the different cultures present at my graduation ceremony were screaming and ululating for me. It's a primitive mentality to be offended by one's excitement,' said Govender. The Durban University of Technology said there were rules and guidelines that should be followed during a graduation ceremony. 'The university has formalised and recently approved a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the reading of graduates' names, which is being implemented at the 2025 Autumn graduation ceremonies. This SOP outlines clear expectations during the reading of names, including the importance of maintaining decorum and respect throughout the proceedings. Graduands and their families are expected to remain seated, refrain from excessive noise or disruptive behaviour, and allow each graduate their moment of recognition without interruption. 'We do not condone disruptive behaviour during graduation ceremonies. Interrupting another graduate's moment whether through loud celebration or other forms of disturbance undermines the dignity of the ceremony and is considered disrespectful. Programme directors and name readers actively encourage respectful conduct from all attendees to ensure a memorable experience for everyone involved,' said Simangele Zuma, DUT media officer. 'Where audience noise becomes excessive, readers are instructed to pause and wait until order is restored before continuing. This helps ensure that each graduate's name is heard and their moment is honoured appropriately. However, names are typically not repeated unless absolutely necessary. 'The university has previously received feedback and complaints regarding noise levels at graduation ceremonies. These concerns informed the development of the newly-implemented SOP, which includes measures to manage and reduce disruptions during the proceedings. The goal is to preserve the decorum and celebratory spirit of the occasion while ensuring fairness and respect for every graduand,' she added. THE POST
IOL News
23-04-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
JUST IN: National Prosecuting Authority considers appeal in Timothy Omotoso case
"This team is studying the transcript, and the three other relevant decisions that were handed down in the course of this trial and will provide a memorandum of advice and opinion on the appeal ability of the judgment," said Mhaga. "The NPA will announce its decision, taking into account the memorandum of advice from the NPA team, and the opinion from Senior Counsel." NPA national spokesperson advocate Mthunzi Mhaga said the decision to consider appealing the Omotoso case is based on the gravity and complexity of the case, as well as the fact that the state can only appeal an acquittal under Section 319 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has announced that it has appointed a Senior Counsel to evaluate and advise on the possibility of appealing the Timothy Omotoso judgement. The 66-year-old Nigerian national was acquitted after spending eight years in jail. He was acquitted alongside his co-accused, Lusanda Sulani, and Zikiswa Sitho. Mhaga went on to say that the recent judgement has harmed efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) and eroded trust in the criminal justice system. This has serious consequences for the victims, he said. The Commission for the Promotion of the Rights of Cultural, Religious, and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) is one of several groups who condemned the NPA following the Nigerian televangelist's acquittal by the High Court in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape. "All we can say is, the NPA let us down. The NPA let these witnesses (the victims) down. There are hundreds, if not thousands of victims out there who were waiting to see how this case goes. If it was not a matter of not cross-examining the accused appropriately, as the judge said, then we are leaving it at the door of the NPA," said chairperson of the CRL Rights Commission, Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva. The NPA added that it is considering all avenues to ensure justice is served within the law. IOL News Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
