Witness tells commission she found refuge at KwaSizabantu Mission
A witness testifying before a religious rights commission looking into allegations against the KwaSizabantu Mission says she was able to find refuge at the church.
Anita van der Walt says the mission near Kranskop has been her home for 34 years after escaping abuse at home.
The mission is facing allegations of discrimination, sexual abuse and that it's a cult.
Van der Walt says being at the mission has allowed her to further her studies and improve her knowledge.
She says she's been teaching at the mission and told the commission she had built a close relationship with the African children from the community.
She even displayed her impressive Zulu-speaking skills.
But she couldn't give an answer when asked about claims these children are being discriminated against by being forced to cut their hair short.
Asked about allegations of young girls at the mission being made to undergo virginity testing, she replied that she was aware of a waiting room for girls but didn't know what happened in there despite having lived there for over three decades.
She was however able to say with conviction that church leader Reverend Erlo Stegen was a kind man who wouldn't hurt a soul.
Another woman defending Kwasizabantu, says the church mission's image has been tainted by the media.
Karen van Eeden, who's been involved with the northern KZN mission for some 37 years, has labeled the child sex abuse and money laundering allegations against it, a smear campaign.
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She says the accusations against reverend Erlo Stegen and the church not true and unfounded.
She believes a narrative to discredit Kwasizabantu was put together hastily and overlooks the good work the mission does like taking in abandoned children.
"Not only being painted black but being thrown with mud. And a father that I respect, a father that I love. I've told myself I'm not going to sit back," she said.
"I'm coming to this commission and I would like you all to know- and hope the media is listening- that what the media is portraying him to be or the mission to be, isn't."
More witnesses will testify today.
