By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A South African pastor, alongside his wife have been arrested after 200 people, some in chains, were found detained at a suspected illegal rehabilitation centre in the north-eastern part of the country.
The facility, operated from a church in Mpumalanga province, was discovered during a raid by security agencies in the area on Thursday.
Authorities said they uncovered “gross inhumane conditions” when they carried out a sting operation at the facility, with some patients found with “sores all over their bodies” and “others chained to each other”.
Police have since charged the couple, who were running the facility, with kidnapping and could press more charges.
There has been a proliferation of unlicensed rehabilitation centres across South Africa in recent years as government battles use of drugs in the country.
Last year, the department of social development said it had uncovered over 100 unlawful facilities operating across the country, mostly in Gauteng province, home to the country’s largest city, Johannesburg.
At the Mpumalanga centre, a girl of 16 and a boy of 11 were found being kept in the same room where adults stayed.
Two minors were also among the 200 people found living in crowded rooms at the facility.
The couple running it told officials they were housing 60 people, but upon inspection, more than three times that number were found, including more than 30 women.
The group, mostly believed to be drug addicts, were found in crowded rooms and without access to functioning bathrooms or running water.
“Some [of them had] been at the alleged illegal centre for a while,” authorities said.
Gift Skhosana, one of those held at the facility, told local broadcaster Newzroom Afrika it was “common practice” for patients to be chained.
“They chain us as punishment when you gain entry,” he said.
Despite this, Skhosana, who was a drug user, said the facility helped him get clean and overcome his addiction.
The couple charged a monthly fee of 3,000 rand ($182; £137) to house the patients, of which almost a half would go to the church.
The couple is expected to appear in a local court on Monday.
