A pastor and his wife have been arrested after 200 people, some chained, were found in an unlicensed rehabilitation centre in Mpumalanga with sores and in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions.
01Summary
- 01The facility, operated from a church in Mpumalanga province, was raided by officials on Thursday.
- 02Some patients had sores all over their bodies and were chained to each other.
- 03Two minors, a 16-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy, were housed in the same room as adults.
- 04The couple charged a monthly fee of 3,000 rand ($182; £137) per patient, with nearly half going to the church.
- 05Over 100 unlawful rehab centres have been uncovered in South Africa, mostly in Gauteng province, since last year.
02Why it matters
This story highlights the growing problem of illegal rehab centres in South Africa, linked to rising drug use, which poses direct risks to vulnerable individuals seeking treatment.
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