2 pastors arrested for raping minors in South Africa

The South African Police Service (SAPS) have arrested two Limpopo pastors in two separate incidents of rape involving minor girls in the Phalaborwa area.

Limpopo police spokesperson, Lt-Col Moatshe Ngoepe who confirmed the incidents on Sunday, said a 52-year-old (Name withheld) pastor in a village near Lulekani township was arrested for allegedly raping his 14-year-old half-sister, 

"It is alleged that the victim started living with the suspect and his wife since she was three years old following the death of her mother. 

According to him. the suspect, who is a pastor at a local church, allegedly started raping the victim when she was 11 years old up to date until the victim reported the matter to the police who immediately started tracing the suspect and  arrested him.

The man is expected to appear in the Lulekani Magistrate's Court today, on charges of rape and sexual assault.

While the second pastor, aged 46, was arrested by police in Namakgale outside Phalaborwa. He briefly appeared in the Namakgale Magistrate's Court and was remanded in custody with no bail until the October 26 for a bail application and for further police investigations, Ngoepe said.

"It is alleged that the suspect raped his 14-year-old stepdaughter at a village near Namakgale township; following the gruesome discovery by the victim's mother who immediately reported the ordeal to the police which led to this arrest."

The spokesman said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect started raping the victim in February 2015. 

Also reacting to the alleged rape cases, Limpopo acting police commissioner Maj-Gen Bafana Linda condemned the act of criminality perpetrated against children in the strongest terms. She warned all perpetrators of such crimes to "repent immediately, not so, we are going to deal with them mercilessly and without compromise".