Tucked away in the rural outskirts of KwaMaphumulo, the Ikhaya Labafundi mission meaning home of the disciples has become both a place of devotion and a focal point of national concern, drawing the attention of government authorities amid fears over the safety, rights and wellbeing of those living inside.
Cultural, Religious and Linguistic CRL Rights Commission chairperson Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva and KwaZulu-Natal social development MEC Mbali Shinga visited the facility on Thursday following growing concerns about the protection of children and the general conditions at the mission.
The visit follows earlier intervention by the social development department, who removed 19 children from the mission after it was found that they were not attending school. Seven of them are the children of the leader of the institution, Vusimuzi Sibiya.
