Pretoria - When the sex trial of Bishop Stephen Zondo, who heads the Rivers of Living Waters Ministries, began at the end of 2021, the charismatic clergyman vowed to contest “each and every allegation” against him.
And that is exactly what he is doing.
Zondo is facing 10 charges in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, where he is accused of raping seven women – mostly members of his flock.
There seems to still be a long legal road ahead in the trial, as matters were delayed for several months due to translation problems.
Zondo’s defence team earlier objected to the translation by a court interpreter, of the evidence presented by the alleged third victim, who took the stand.
Advocate Piet Pistorius at first noted at least three instances in which he claimed the interpreter did not correctly interpret the evidence presented by the woman.
But as time passed, he also questioned other instances where the translation may have been lacking.
The chief interpreter of the high court was more than three months ago issued with discs containing the evidence of an alleged survivor who had earlier testified. The trial had to be postponed each time, as the interpreter said it was a daunting task to check the evidence against the translation.
However, he last month promised the court that he would have his report on the translations ready at the end of this month when the trial resumes for a few days, before it will be postponed well into the year.
This is due to the congested roll of the high court, with other criminal trials that were already allocated trial dates.
The court also hopes to conclude the evidence of an alleged fourth woman at the end of this month – who has told the court that Zondo raped her. Her evidence was put on hold pending the outcome of the translation issues.
The State has listed 26 witnesses to take the stand.
While Zondo did not provide an explanation of his not guilty plea at the start of the trial, it was clear from the defence’s line of questioning of the first three witnesses, that they believe the charges were trumped-up in a bid to extort money from the wealthy preacher.
The first woman who took the stand claimed she was 7 years old when she was raped by the then teenage Zondo.
According to her, she was afraid of him and had therefore carried her “dark secret” for nearly four decades before going public with it.
Another testified that in 2008 Zondo raped her at a hotel in Joburg.
According to the indictment, he allegedly raped two more women in Evaton, where his church is based, in 2013 and 2015.
He is accused of raping another victim in 2016 and and another woman two years later.
Some victims claimed they were raped more than once.
While some of these women were testifying about what they described as their nightmare ordeal at the hands of their priest, a handful of loyal members of Zondo’s congregation sang hymns outside court, displaying placards with the message “hands off our bishop”.
He receives a warm welcome from them on each occasion when he leaves following a day in court, to head to his chauffeur-driven German car, waiting ready for him at the doors of the court building.
Many of his alleged victims have up to now testified behind closed doors, as they said the events were still too traumatic for them and because they had to share intimate details with the court.
On his website, Zondo is described as “one of the world’s most revered masterminds” who together with his wife have “touched the lives of millions around the world through various humanitarian projects, relief efforts, community service initiatives and the infallible word of God”.
It is said that Zondo faithfully serves his local and global communities to embolden those who are marginalised, from Evaton, Joburg, to the world at large.
Pretoria News