In brief
In the early hours of Thursday, police raided a facility operating out of a church in Mpumalanga's north‑eastern province, uncovering 200 patients, many chained, in grossly inhumane conditions. The centre was being run by a pastor and his wife, who now face kidnapping charges, but authorities say more may be added. Among those rescued were 30 women, two minors and dozens of men, all living without basic sanitation or running water. The case underscores a wave of unlicensed rehabilitation centres across South Africa that prey on drug‑dependent patients.
Chains, Chains, Chains: 200 Patients Freed from Illegal Rehab in South Africa
In the early hours of Thursday, police raided a facility operating out of a church in Mpumalanga's north‑eastern province, uncovering 200 patients, many chained, in grossly inhumane conditions.
The centre was run by a pastor and his wife, now charged with kidnapping. Authorities say the couple will face further charges as investigations continue.
Hospitals treated 14 of the rescued, while 30 women, two minors and dozens of men were found living in overcrowded rooms with no running water or functioning bathrooms.
The department of social development says the facility was part of a surge of unlicensed rehab centres that have emerged as drug use climbs across South Africa.
The pastor and his wife had charged a monthly fee of 3,000 rand ($182), almost half of which reportedly went to the church. They are expected to appear in a local court on Monday.
The raid highlights the urgent need for tighter regulation of rehabilitation services across the country, as the country grapples with a rising drug crisis and a growing number of unlicensed facilities.
