Key points
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Police arrested two men after discovering a torture facility in Mpumalanga.
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The captors forced teenagers to swim in muddy water and beat them with a sjambok.
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Some parents may have sent their children to the facility under the guise of discipline.
Police discovered a secret facility in Evander, near Secunda, Mpumalanga, where individuals held teenagers and tortured them. One victim managed to escape and report the abuse to the authorities.
Victim escapes and reports torture
On March 27, 2025, kidnappers took a teenager from his home. They tortured him until he escaped on April 8, 2025.
During his captivity, he was forced to swim in a muddy dam, had his head covered in mud, and was beaten with a sjambok and pick pipe.
Additionally, he revealed that the captors gave him and others little food and did not provide proper hygiene.
Following the victim’s report, police quickly responded. They arrested two men, aged 24 and 29, on April 9, 2025. The authorities will bring them to court on April 11, 2025.
Some parents may have sent children to the facility
Disturbingly, police suspect that some parents sent their children to the facility, believing it would help discipline them. This new detail adds another layer of complexity to the case, suggesting that some families may have contributed to the abuse.
Police condemn the abuse and demand a full investigation
Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, the acting police commissioner in Mpumalanga, condemned the abuse.
He emphasized that a thorough investigation is essential. Moreover, he stressed that the authorities would hold everyone responsible accountable.
