LIVE | KwaSizabantu to appoint review panel after claims of human rights abuses

BREAKING | KwaSizabantu to appoint panel to deal with allegations of human rights violations, denies 'incorrect, hurtful' reports

The mission told News24:

"...we now address further grave allegations and how we are dealing with them. From the onset, we deny the allegations in the strongest possible way. They are incorrect, hurtful and damaging.

To address the allegations, we have taken board advice from our trustees, external advisors, clients and stakeholders. We are committed to absolute transparency. With regards to the allegations of potential human rights abuse, we are taking the following action:

1. Appointing an independent review panel to investigate the criminal allegation in this regard; and
2. The panel and its scope will be made available 3. The report and findings of the panel will also be made available.

Further to this, we are engaging with law enforcement agencies to bring to book those engaged in the vicious false allegations."

More to follow

You still have time to register for the live Q&A with the News24 team which exposed the KwaSizabantu cult

A Massmart spokesperson told News24 the recall of aQuelle was "going well" and that individual customers were returning stock "because they don't want to be associated with the product".

On Tuesday, the company, that owns the brands Makro and Game, announced it would immediately withdraw all aQuelle products from their stores.

WRAP | How major retailers responded after allegations levelled against KwaSizabantu

KwaSizabantu and its affiliated businesses were in the eye of a storm on Tuesday. Investigations have been launched and major retailers suspended business with the mission.

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Corporates cut ties with KwaSizabantu, as police, CRL, SAHRC confirm investigations

There have been major moves surrounding KwaSizabantu Mission on Tuesday, after several reports by News24 detailing allegations of human rights violations and fraud.

Retailers who have been supplied with products owned by KwaSizabantu have demanded answers, with some having cut ties with those companies. The police have also been let loose on the controversial KwaZulu-Natal mission.

KwaSizabantu is the owner of aQuellé bottled water and vegetable supplier Emseni Farming.

Here is a rundown of Tuesday’s coverage:

Bottles of aQuellé have been pulled off shelves at Makro and Game, as Food Lover’s market and Spur cut ties with companies associated with KwaSizabantu. Pick ‘n Pay and Makro have demanded answers from KwaSizabantu amid allegations of human rights abuses.

Woolworths halted buying products from a supplier owned by KwaSizabantu, pending more information on the allegations made against the company. Spar has also cut ties with all suppliers owned by the mission.

aQuellé itself said it will appoint a panel to investigate allegations contained in News24’s reports, but labelled the exposé as “vicious” and “sensational”.

Meanwhile, police minister Bheki Cele confirmed police are investigating the mission, but would not give details.

The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities has also launched a probe, and has encouraged anyone who has been involved with the mission to come forward.

The SA Human Rights Commission also confirmed an investigation on Tuesday, into what it deems as human rights violations in the name of religion.

aQuellé pulled from shelves at Makro, Game - as Food Lover's also cuts ties with ‘cult’ companies

Walmart-owned Massmart – owner of Makro and Game – and Food Lover’s Market have joined Spar and Woolworths in cutting ties with the businesses associated with the controversial KwaSizabantu mission in KwaZulu-Natal.

On Tuesday, employees at Makro were seen removing aQuellé water from store shelves, and Massmart confirmed that it has severed ties with the supplier.

“In light of the serious allegations in ongoing media reports, Massmart has suspended the sale of aQuelle water, which is manufactured by Ekhamanzi, pending the outcome of their own internal, and recently confirmed South African Police Services and independent third party, investigations,” a spokesperson said.

KwaSizabantu: Spar cuts ties with all suppliers associated with the KZN mission

Spar has followed Woolworths in severing ties with the businesses associated with KwaSizabantu.

Spar group merchandise executive Mike Prentice confirmed to Business Insider that the group has suspended orders from Ekhamanzi Springs, which owns the water brand aQuellé, as well as for fruit and vegetables from Emseni Farming. In KwaZulu-Natal, some Spar franchises also sell Bonlé, a yogurt brand which is associated with KwaSizabantu.

At a national level, the chain has decided not to place new orders with all business associated with KwaSizabantu. 

The Spar distribution centre has put on hold the ordering of fresh stock with immediate effect, however stores may still sell products that remain on shelves.

SAHRC to investigate KwaSizabantu allegations

The South African Human Rights Commission says it views the allegations contained in a series of reports by News24 about KwaSizabantu Mission "in a serious light and have engaged our KwaZulu-Natal office to investigate the matter."

News24 reported, among other things, of human rights violations at the mission.

The SAHRC's CEO, advocate Tseliso Thipanyane, said: "The Commission is also pleased to note that the Kwa-Zulu Natal Provincial government has also launched its own investigation into the cult and that retailer Woolworths has also stopped trading with the group in light of these serious allegations.

"What is concern for the Commission are the human rights violations conducted in the name of religion. The SAHRC respects the right to freedom of religion, opinion and belief, however this right cannot be exercised in blatant contravention of human rights as has been alleged in this matter."

Cele confirms investigations into KwaSizabantu

Police Minister Bheki Cele has confirmed that there are investigations going on about KwaSizabantu mission. He said there are "people who have a relationship with KwaSizabantu who have raised issues with the mission."

The minister says that while he knows about the mission he does not know anyone from there. He says he has "no personal understanding" about it, and has never been there.

He did not want to elaborate on the investigations.

Police minister Bheki Cele was asked the question by a News24 reporter on the back of an address about Level 1 lockdown regulations.

News24 at the weekend published damning allegations of corruption and abuse of congregants at the KZN mission. 

aQuellé has appointed an external panel consisting of "legal, political, business and grassroots level individuals" to investigate allegations published in a News24 exposé which revealed claims of gross human rights abuse and financial crimes at Mission KwaSizabantu.

This development is contained in a letter sent to its retail clients on Monday.

REGISTER NOW | Q&A with the team that exposed the KwaSizabantu cult in KwaZulu-Natal

Founded in 1970 by missionary Reverend Erlo Stegen, the KwaSizabantu Mission is nestled in the green and lush Valley of a Thousand Hills.

Exodus | 'I will never go back' - leaving KwaSizabantu after more than two decades

It's been 11 months since Gert de Vries packed up his possessions and left KwaSizabantu with his family and loaded their furniture onto a borrowed trailer after devoting their lives to the mission for more than two decades.

Adriaan Basson | Want to stop a cult? Then don't buy aQuellé bottled water

On Saturday, News24 published the result of a seven-month investigation into allegations of gross human rights violations and abuse at KwaSizabantu Mission. You can make a difference by not buying their unholy water, writes Adriaan Basson.

KwaSizabantu 'cult': Woolworths halts buying from supplier, offers to help authorities

Woolworths has stopped doing business with the fruit and vegetable supplier owned by the controversial KwaSizabantu, as it awaits further information about allegations of abuse and fraud at the mission.

Pick n Pay and Makro demand answers from KwaSizabantu amid abuse allegations

Pick n Pay and Makro have reached out to KwaSizabantu, the owner of aQuellé sparkling water and vegetable supplier Emseni Farming, for answers as its KwaZulu-Natal mission stands accused of gross human rights violations and abuse.  

KwaSizabantu: CRL Rights Commission launches official probe, urges former members to come forward

The CRL Rights Commission confirmed it would investigate allegations of human rights abuse at KwaSizabantu.

KwaSizabantu: Stay strong, preacher tells congregants in the face of abuse allegations

Sunday service at KwaSizabantu Mission near Kranskop in KwaZulu-Natal went ahead virtually, and was broadcast on its radio station and YouTube channel, with the preacher urging congregants to stay strong in the face of allegations of rape, sexual and financial misconduct.

EXCLUSIVE | Exodus: Uncovering sexual crimes and missing millions at a KZN 'cult'

After an investigation of seven months, News24 can today reveal the depth of the rot at KwaSizabantu (KSB), one of the biggest missions in Africa started by German preacher Erlo Stegen in 1970 at Kranskop, northern KwaZulu-Natal.

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Marietjie Bothma earns a living by making people feel good. She gets a crowd going at events she hosts and made TV audiences laugh as the indecisive blonde who speaks fluent Zulu in a King Pie ad.

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"I am deeply ashamed," Greeff said of acting as an informant for the state while working as a missionary at KwaSizabantu, a haven he described as "such a gentle, friendly place" when he had arrived there.