- Pastor Caiphus Mkhawane and two women appeared in the Atteridgeville Magistrates’ Court on charges arising from an alleged attack on a woman and her four-month-old child.
- The state alleges that funeral policies were taken out in the woman’s name in August 2026, before the incident near the Hennops River on 7 October.
- The matter was postponed to 16 October for legal aid representation and bail investigations.
More details have emerged about the allegations against a pastor and two women accused of offences arising from an incident in which a four-month-old baby was allegedly killed, and the child’s mother raped.
Pastor Caiphus Mkhawane, 36, Tsako Angel Makhubela, 25, and Amanda Manono Mnguni, 32, appeared briefly in the Atteridgeville Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 12 October 2026.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the allegations relate to an incident on 7 October, when Mkhawane, Makhubela and the victim travelled to the Hennops River under the pretext of performing religious rituals. The rituals were allegedly intended to free the woman from evil spirits and protect her children.
The NPA alleges that, after arriving near the river, Mkhawane and Makhubela instructed the woman to undress, tied her up and washed her using water from a bucket. Mkhawane allegedly took the woman to the river, leaving the infant with Makhubela. At the river, he allegedly washed the woman again and raped her.
The pastor allegedly returned to collect the child before he and Makhubela went into nearby bushes, where they allegedly killed the infant. The woman reportedly managed to escape and sought help from construction workers in the area, who assisted her in contacting the police.
Funeral policies allegedly taken out in victim’s name
The NPA said the investigation also uncovered allegations that several funeral policies had been taken out in the victim’s name during August 2026. The woman is the mother of the deceased infant.
All three accused face charges of conspiracy to commit murder and fraud. Mkhawane and Makhubela additionally face charges of human trafficking, premeditated murder, rape, two counts of kidnapping and robbery with aggravating circumstances. The charges remain allegations and have yet to be proved in court.
Arrests and next court appearance
Following an investigation by Erasmia detectives, Makhubela was arrested on 7 October after the victim allegedly identified her. Mnguni was arrested later that day, while Mkhawane was arrested on 10 October. The matter was postponed to 16 October 2026 for legal aid representation and bail investigations.
The NPA said it remained committed to ensuring that perpetrators of gender-based violence and related offences were held accountable through the criminal justice system.
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