A woman on Monday told the Pretoria high court that she was raped, threatened and offered R75 000 for her silence by Bishop Stephen Bafana Zondo in 2008 when she was still 23 years old.
The state has successfully brought an application to have the witness testify in camera. The application meant that she would testify in private with only the judge, defence team, prosecution, the accused and court officials.
The Rivers of Living Waters Ministries head is accused of raping seven women and trying to bribe one of them to drop the charges. He faces 10 charges which include rape, indecent assault and defeating the ends of justice.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has given the media a summarised version of the witness’s testimony.
According to Lumka Mahanjana, the NPA spokesperson, said the witness testified that Zondo called her while she was at work and requested that they meet at midday. The witness said she asked to leave early at work and went to meet him in Vereeniging.
Mahanjana said the woman said she got no response when she asked where they were going when she got inside the car. The woman was allegedly taken to Formula 1 hotel.
“The accused gave her a room key and asked her not to talk to anyone but to go straight to the room number written on the key. However, the witness asked a man who was at the reception to show her the room.
“When she got there, she stood by the wall. Minutes later the accused came in and allegedly told her to undress while he was also undressing. He then raped her. After they left, he dropped her off at Vereeniging and told her not to tell anyone and that if she did, one of her family members would die. He offered to give her R75 000.”
Out of fear, the woman did not disclose what had happened with anyone about the alleged ordeal, but finally confined in her aunt when she questioned her about her heavy drinking.
Source: News24, Times Live, Sowetan Live, image from Twitter