Mbulelo Qongqo, a man who operates as a “certified traditional healer”, polygamist and businessman running several health facilities in the Eastern Cape, is facing charges of rape.
Qongqo’s case was postponed to July 21, 2023 by the Mdantsane Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the 48-year-old renowned East London traditional healer was arrested in May after a 20-year-old woman, who was brought to his practice to be healed, opened a rape case against him at the Mdantsane Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC).
NPA spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said the case docket has been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for a decision and centralisation of all his rape cases in different magisterial districts.
“It is alleged that on April 16, 2023, Qongqo took the woman to a gravesite, made her drink a substance unknown to her, and later raped her at a house in Mdantsane.
The victim alleged that she woke up in the house unknown to her while the accused was still sexually assaulting her. She called her parents to pick her up and went to open a case on the same day,” said Tyali.
While in court for his bail application, which was successfully opposed by state advocate Linda Jekwa, it was revealed that Qongqo, who is married to three women, has a pending case of rape of a 16-year-old client under similar circumstances in Zwelitsha.
“The police are investigating a further two cases against Qongqo in addition to another one which was withdrawn in Mdantsane Magistrates’ Court after the docket went missing,” said Tyali.
“The NPA hopes that by centralising the cases, a superior court may eventually sentence the accused to a proportionally punitive sentence.”
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