Nhlanhla Mabaso, a man who gained the trust of the Greytown community as the go-to traditional healer, will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Greytown traditional healer sentenced to life for rape
This was the sentence handed to the 36-year-old Durban local by the Greytown Regional Court, on Wednesday.
Mabaso was arrested on Monday 13 January 2020 after a 36-year-old woman had filed a case of sexual assault against him at the Greytown police station.
According to spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele, two days prior to his arrest, the woman had travelled from Kranskop to consult with the renowned traditional healer.
The two met outside a local supermarket in Sargeant Street where the consultation was scheduled to take place. However, Mabaso informed the woman that his tools were at his home in Lindelani, an informal settlement not too far away from the town’s business district
Disarmed by his unassuming character, the woman did not think too much about accompanying Mabaso to his home when he asked. The two made the trip to Lindelani but things quickly turned for the worst when Mabaso’s demeanour changed once they were behind closed doors.
“On arrival at his residence, the traditional healer became aggressive and locked the victim in the house,” Col. Mbele revealed.
At this point, the woman’s life was in Mabaso’s hands. If she was to make it out alive, she had to abide by his instructions and not taunt the tainted traditional healer.
The woman endured a horror that may haunt her till this day. Mabaso raped her repeatedly the entire day until he was satisfied the next day.
On Sunday 12 January 2020, Mabaso escorted the woman to the taxi rank and left her with a stern warning. If she uttered a word of this to anyone, her life would be taken.
“Instead of taking the taxi back to Kranskop, the victim went to the Greytown police station and reported the incident,” Mbele added.
The matter was quickly escalated and on Monday, Mabaso was ambushed by police at his workshop in Greytown. He was selling his traditional medicine, his conscience totally removed from the sordid acts he committed, when he was arrested.
The trial dragged on for over a year before finality was reached. The disgraced traditional healer will spend the rest of his life behind bars.