The pastor of a church in the Betania area stands accused of raping his six-year-old daughter.
However, congregants from his church reportedly confronted whistle-blowers, accusing them of conspiracy and of being demon-possessed.
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The 30-year-old pastor reportedly promised his daughter food in return for her silence.
The child and her three-year-old sibling are believed to have been abandoned by their mother following a domestic quarrel with the pastor.
After their mother left, the pastor had approached a member of his church and asked her to look after the children while he went to work at a security firm in the Port Shepstone area.
The woman (74) told the Herald that she agreed to look after the children, based on the fact that she shared a similar surname with the pastor although they were not biologically related.
It is believed that a social worker from Port Shepstone Child Welfare had also been appointed to ensure the children were well looked after.
Two weeks ago, the little girl broke her silence and told the woman and relatives of the abuse she endured at the hands of her father.
Her family reported this to the social worker, who, they say, refused to go to Betania, claiming she was going to a meeting in a nearby area.
Shocked by the social worker’s apparent lack of interest, the family took the child to the clinic, where nurses alerted the police immediately.
“She was then taken to the Thuthuzela Care Centre in Port Shepstone, where she was examined by doctors and received counselling,” a relative said.
A case was opened with the Port Shepstone police and the pastor was later arrested.
After the arrest, the family again contacted the social worker, who reportedly again failed to show up.
“For her it was business as usual. All we wanted was for the child to be moved to a place of safety, but she couldn’t be bothered.”
The social worker only arrived on Tuesday, after the Herald had contacted the MEC for Social Development, Weziwe Thusi’s office.
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The Herald asked the social worker why she had refused to visit the family after she had been told the child had been raped.
The social worker admitted to being aware of the incident and having failed to take action, but said it was not because she didn’t care.
Port Shepstone Child Welfare manager, Sagrie Naicker, was contacted for comment.
Ms Naicker said at this stage their priority was ensuring that the child was taken to a place of safety and allegations made against the social worker would be dealt with later.
Provincial social development spokesman, Ncumisa Ndelu, expressed shock at the incident and confirmed that the department had ensured that the child had been moved to a place of safety.
Mrs Ndelu also said the social worker would ‘face the consequences of her behaviour and would be dealt with immediately’.
Port Shepstone police spokesman, Captain Zithulele Mpinge, said the pastor had appeared in court last Friday.
“The case has been postponed to Monday, November 19, and he remains in custody.”
Port Shepstone Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit is investigating.
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