The rape trial against controversial clergyman Bishop Bafana Zondo has been postponed to Thursday.
This follows a brief appearance before the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday.
The court postponed the case to afford the state an opportunity to respond to the objections that were raised by the defence. Zondo is facing 10 charges including rape, indecent assault, and defeating the ends of justice
Last year, Zondo’s rape trial came to an abrupt stop when it was postponed to February 2024.
Victim’s aunt testified
In 2023, the court heard that an aunt to the victim had alleged that a gospel artist had forcefully slept with her niece. The victim was a backing vocalist for the gospel singer.
The aunt reported the matter to the CRL Gender Commission. Following this, the niece admitted during a radio interview that Bishop Zondo was the one who raped her. She clarified that it was not the gospel artist who raped her.
Gospel singer cleared
By then, the court had brought in the gospel singer, who cannot be named. During his testimony, the gospel singer poured cold water over the rape allegations. He said he regarded the victim and her husband as his family. He also said he had never been in a romantic relationship with the rape victim.
In an interview that Zondo did three years ago, he said he has been accused of sleeping with other men’s wives.
Bishop says he is the victim
“Have you ever seen any successful black man who has been celebrated without being accused of certain things? Any success of a black person always has a suspicion.”
He further said the allegations say that he is a witch and warlord.
“Hypnotising is something we do not know, but the one that I follow when he used to cast out demons people would fall and demos would speak. I took the same bible and practiced that which is there. I started seeing those things happening,” he added.
“If you hynotise the people I think you have to go and learn how to do that. I did not go to school for that. I just preach the word,” said Zondo.
