KZN Social Development rescues 19 children from KwaMaphumulo religious compound

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development has confirmed the removal of 19 children from a religious compound in KwaMaphumulo, in the north of the province.

The children, who were living at the Ekhaya Labafundi Church in Dabangu, were taken into the department’s care due to significant safety concerns. The leader of the church currently faces allegations of human rights abuses and the forced isolation of members from the wider community.

Reports suggest that followers are instructed to:

Abandon all worldly possessions.

Reject modern medicine, including life-saving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.

Rely solely on faith healing.

MEC Mbali Shinga visited the site this week alongside the CEO of the CRL Rights Commission, Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva. Shinga emphasised that the removal of the children was a necessary step to ensure their protection and prevent further harm.

The department is now focused on the long-term welfare of the children, including their education and the investigation of financial irregularities regarding social grants.

"We are not dumping them anywhere," said Shinga. "We are working very hard with other departments to place them in schools. They're already placed in our child and youth care centres. So, working with other stakeholders, we want to ensure that they are now placed in schools."

Shinga also addressed the misuse of government funds by those associated with the compound:

"We are in the process of finalising the termination of the Sassa grant to those who still keep the cards, but they do not have kids with them. They can't be double-dipping."