South African Pastor and Wife Arrested After 200 People Found Chained at Illegal Rehab Centre
- The South African Police Service arrested a 59-year-old pastor and his 58-year-old wife on Friday, October 16, 2026, following an inspection of an unregistered rehabilitation centre in Siyabuswa, Mpumalanga
- Officials from the Department of Social Development described conditions at the facility as 'grossly inhumane conditions', with some occupants allegedly chained and suffering from sores
- The couple face charges including kidnapping and operating an unregistered treatment centre and are expected to appear in court on Monday, October 19, 2026
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A South African pastor and his wife are in police custody after roughly 200 people were allegedly discovered living in alarming conditions at an unregistered rehabilitation centre in Siyabuswa, Mpumalanga.
Source: Getty Images
The South African Police Service (SAPS) arrested the 59-year-old man and his 58-year-old wife on Friday, October 16, 2026, a day after officials from the Department of Social Development visited the facility and called for police intervention.
14 of the individuals found at the centre were taken for urgent medical treatment during the operation.
Conditions inside the Siyabuswa facility
According to BBC News reports, investigators found occupants crammed into overcrowded rooms, with some allegedly shackled together in chains. Several individuals had visible sores on their bodies.
The Department of Social Development characterised what they encountered as "gross inhumane conditions."
Preliminary findings suggest the couple ran the centre without the required registration or authorisation under the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act, and that the facility fell well short of health and safety standards set out under relevant environmental health by-laws and the National Health Act.
Charges and what comes next
The South African pastor and his wife now face charges of kidnapping, operating an unregistered treatment centre, and breaching health and safety regulations.
SAPS confirmed that experienced detectives and specialised units have been assigned to the case under provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise, and that further arrests and additional charges remain possible as the investigation develops.
The suspects are expected to appear before the Mdutjana Magistrates' Court in Siyabuswa on Monday, October 19, 2026.
Police have not publicly identified the couple, and the allegations against them are yet to be proven in court.
Modise praised the officials and officers involved in the operation for their role in securing the welfare of those found at the facility.
Nigerian blogger Instablog9ja shared the story on Instagram, where it quickly drew strong reactions.
The Instagram post announcing the arrest of the South African pastor and his wife is below:
Reactions to South African pastor, wife's arrest
Social media users were quick to respond to the disturbing news.
YEN.com.gh has compiled some reactions below:
@theperfectgiftandsouvenirs wrote:
"Omo! They might be taking their properties too."
@deejaygfunk said:
"Holier than thou people be doing the most since 1851."
@dequezgram commented:
"Dem be rabbit? How dem take capture 200 people?"
Self-proclaimed Ghanaian pastor arrested for alleged fraud
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported about self-proclaimed pastor Nana Yaw Bonsu Kwarteng, who was arrested over allegations that he used promises of marriage to persuade women in Ghana and Nigeria to invest in his tyre business.
More than 10 women reportedly said they lost substantial sums, while the marriages he promised never materialised.
The allegations also claimed Bonsu was already married as he pursued the women and that his wife was arrested as the case proceeded in court.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
