Central SA
Warrenton traditional healer sentenced to 30 years for rape─── ZENANDE MPAME 08:09 Fri, 21 Jul 2023
A 76-year-old traditional healer from Warrenton in the Northern Cape was given a hefty sentence of 30 years in the Kimberley Regional Court on Tuesday (18/7).
Jerry "Gobela" Mabundza was sentenced on three counts of rape of a 16-year-old girl in Warrenton, between November 2020 and January 2021.
“The accused was sentenced to ten years direct imprisonment for each of the three rape counts and his name will be included in the national sex offenders database,” said Northern Cape police spokesperson, Timothy Sam.
Mabundza, a traditional sangoma trainee mentor, repeatedly and on several occasions raped the girl under the guise of being a part of the mother's traditional ceremonial training programme.
The victim was reluctant to discuss this unlawful act with the mother out of concern that it may jeopardise her training, until the mother spotted the victim acting inappropriately and questioned her.
She then explained what had been happening to the mother, who reported the matter to the police.
