Rustenburg Church Leader Gets Suspended Sentence After Exposing Herself to 11 Children

• A Church leader received a suspended prison sentence for exposing herself to children
• The Incident involved 11 children found naked in a church setting outside Rustenburg
• The children, six boys and five girls, between the ages of four and 12, were removed from the house and placed in the care of social workers

Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.

NORTH WEST, RUSTENBURG - A woman described as a church leader has received a suspended prison sentence after being convicted of exposing herself to children in Rustenburg.

Exposing herself to children

The Rustenburg Regional Court sentenced 36-year-old Zoliswa Menziwa to two years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years, after convicting her of contravening the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act.

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The conviction stems from an incident on 1 June 2022, when police found five adults and 11 children naked inside a house being used as a church in Sondela Phase 1, Boitekong, outside Rustenburg. Menziwa was the only adult at the scene who was clothed and was allegedly leading the church at the time.

Kids removed from the house

The children, six boys and five girls, between the ages of four and 12, were removed from the house and placed in the care of social workers before being reunited with their families. The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit later took over the investigation. Menziwa was subsequently convicted, while the other five adults were acquitted.

In sentencing, the court ordered that the two-year prison term be suspended on condition that Menziwa is not convicted of a similar offence during the five-year suspension period. North West provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Sello Kwena welcomed the outcome, saying police remained committed to combating crimes against women and children and ensuring accountability in cases involving vulnerable victims.

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What did South Africans say?

Social media users shared their opinions regarding the incident.

Londy Patson said:

"I wonder what happened there."

Ngqheche Ubisi said:

"If he happened to be a man, he should have been locked up and harshly treated."

Zenith Zen said:

"Most priests are pedophiles."

Tiego A Mmakau said:

"Why not a jail term mara? Sies!"

Nicky Depalal said

"HOLY people"

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Source: Briefly News