Rivers of Living Waters Ministries International leader Bishop Bafana Zondo’s niece has added another rape docket to the bible-puncher’s ever-growing bible of rape cases.
Sunday World can sensationally reveal that Zondo’s niece, who cannot be named for legal reasons, alleged that Zondo raped her at least three times 40 years ago and tried to buy her silence with a R1 coin and sweets.
The woman opened a case of rape against the bishop at the Booysens police station last week Friday and the docket was transferred to the Evaton police station for investigation.
In a police statement, which Sunday World has seen, the 46-year-old woman, who now lives in De Deur, alleged that Zondo, who was 14 years old then, plundered her at her grandmother’s house in Sebokeng, south of Joburg, in 1980 when she was just six years old.
Relating the ordeal, the woman said she was living with her grandmother Alina Zondo in May 1980.
She said her grandmother, who was preggies at the time, went to her parent’s place when she was suffering from pregnancy-related complications, leaving her under the care of Zondo.
She said she was playing outside the house with other children when Zondo, whom she referred to as “Uncle Fani Zondo”, invited her into one of the bedrooms. She alleged that while inside the house, Zondo asked her to wash his socks and ordered her playmates not to enter the bedroom.
“He told her to climb onto the bed and he pulled her legs, undressing her and himself. He started playing with his penis, put Vaseline [petroleum] on his penis and around her vagina. He then penetrated inside her vagina [sic],” reads the statement.
The woman also said when she screamed, he took out his penis and told her not to scream. He then penetrated her again.
“The complainant screamed louder and he stopped and ordered her not to tell anyone and gave her R1 coin and many sweets. After some days he repeated three times until she ran away from her grandmother to her father’s house.
She said she broke her silence in 2000 when she told her brother about the incident. Gauteng provincial police spokesperson Mavela Masondo confirmed that the niece has opened a case of rape. “A case of rape has been opened. No arrest has been made,” said Masondo.
