Today three accused individuals, self-proclaimed pastor Caiphus Mkhawane and his two co-accused Ntsako Mathebula and Amanda Mnguni are scheduled to appear before the Atteridgeville Magistrates Court in Pretoria.
The three accused were arrested in the charges of murder of a four month old baby and the alleged rape of baby’s 43 years old mother. Moreover, Mkhawane and Makhubela also face additional charges of human trafficking, premeditated murder, rape, two counts of kidnapping and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Lumka Mahanjama, spokesperson for the National prosecuting Authority mentioned that the case has been postponed to allow for legal-aid representation and bail investigations.She said, “In court, the matter was postponed for legal aid representation and bail investigations. The NPA remains committed to ensuring that perpetrators of gender-based violence and related offences are held accountable through the criminal justice system”.
Additionally, the crime took place on Wednesday October 7, 2026. According to preliminary reports, the pastor and his wife lured the victim to the Hennops river, near the R511 road, under the false pretext to perform a ritual. Upon the arrival at the river, both the accused instructed the victim to undress and tied her up and washed her using water from a bucket.
The pastor went with the victim to the river leaving her child with Makhubela. Both the victim and accused went to the river and at the river pastor alleged washed the victim again and raped her. After the rape, pastor went to take the child from his wife and both went to the bushes where they killed the child.
Notably, the victim allegedly escaped from the situation and reported to nearby construction workers and they helped her in contacting the police. Erasmia detectives arrested Makhubela on October 7, 2026 and later on the same day they arrested Mnguni. Mkhawane was arrested on October 10, 2026.
The case concerns the alleged murder of a four-month-old baby and the alleged rape of the baby’s 43-year-old mother during a purported religious ritual near the Hennops River in Gauteng, South Africa, on 7 October 2026.