Crime scene cordoned off with police tape.
Khoza says the department received information that Sonjica was one of five children whose families took them to a church in the KwaNzimakwe area, near Port Edward, on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast.Visiting the Sonjica family, Khoza has said the department will help the surviving victims. “The kids were tied because the family found them with hands tied, the feet were tied, and sleeping on the floor. Their bodies were half-naked and the 4 of them were beaten. They were beaten, we understand, they were sjamboked by the leader of the church,” explains the MEC.Sonjica’s family says those responsible for her death must face the wrath of the law. Mxolisi Jula, a Sonjica family spokesperson, explains what he saw in a video of Thozama’s alleged assault.
“What we noticed [in that video is that] our sister had ropes on her hands and her legs. She was naked while she was sitting on the floor. The pastor was beating her all over her body. We were hoping [that] because he is a pastor, those demons he [was] talking about will move away [come out] but only to find that our sister passed away in [during] that prayer.”
“We are still waiting for another arrest. Actually, lots of arrests because there were a lot of people who were there. The pastor was not going to be able to put the rope on her [without being assisted] alone.”