No water, no toilets and chained: Over 150 found at unregistered Nkangala rehab facility

Meanwhile, Mpumalanga Social Development’s Matiwane Nkabinde said have been hot on the heels of illegal rehabilitation centres operating in Nkangala.

She said the department has been monitoring illegal facilities and has noted a familiar modus operandi which many allegedly use.

But what has been worrying, she said, are the conditions at the centre, the treatment of those staying there and how it was allowed to operate.

“We know about them, but most of them, they camouflage themselves under the expressions that they are a church,” she said. 

“What is a problem is that you are housing over 200 people as young as 14. You don’t have a toilet, you are not having water, and they are chained…How do you then say it is a church and a healing process,” Nkabinde questioned. 

According to Nkabinde, department has made arrangements to have those found at the centre to be transported back home. 

“The process is a bit tedious because we’ve got to phone the family member and tell the family member that we are releasing the person home and the person must confirm that they know the person and the person can come,” she added.