Government welcomes Bishop Jabu Ndaba’s sentencing

25 October 2018

Government welcomes the life imprisonment sentence handed over to Bishop Jabu Ndaba (52) by the Springs Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

Ndaba, who is reportedly the leader of Trinity Apostolic Church, was charged with one count of rape of a minor who, along with her family, was a member of his church. He was found guilty of the crimes in July this year.

“Government will not tolerate rape and all forms of abuse against women and children. It becomes even more appalling when these crimes are committed by religious leaders who claim to be servants of God. This is a precedent setting case which indicates that perpetrators, irrespective of their position in society, will face the full might of the law,” said GCIS Acting Director General Phumla Williams.

“We must all spare a thought for this young child who has been violated in such a cruel and inhumane way by a person who was probably trusted and looked up to by his church members and the community. We hope this sentence will send a clear message that the abuse of women and children will not be tolerated. As a society, we must ensure that those who harm women and children, even if they are found in our churches, are made to face the full might of our criminal justice system," Williams said.

Government remains committed to support victims of gender-based violence and will not hesitate to support society in calling for harsh sentences for the perpetrators of these crimes. “We continue to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards child abuse and we call on communities to partner with government to address this challenge,” added Williams.

To report violence and abuse against children, the public is urged to use the following numbers:

• Crime Stop - 08600 10 111
• Child line - 0800 055  555
• Department of Social Development - 0800 428 428 (0800 GBV GBV) OR dial *120*7867# (free) from any cell phone.

Enquiries:
Phumla Williams
Cell: 083 501 0139

Issued by: Government Communications