Cape Town – A Rustenburg church leader has received a suspended prison sentence after being convicted of exposing herself in front of children during a disturbing incident at a house used as a place of worship in the North West.
According to IOL, the Rustenburg Regional Court sentenced Zoliswa Menziwa (36) to two years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years, after finding her guilty under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act for flashing in front of minors.
The incident, reported by the African News Agency (ANA), dates back to 1 June 2022. Police officers entered a property in Boitekong, Sondela Phase 1, where they found five adults and 11 children naked inside the structure, which was being used as a church. Menziwa was the only adult who was fully clothed at the time.
The children — six boys and five girls aged between four and 12 — were immediately removed from the scene and placed in the care of social workers before later being reunited with their families. The case was subsequently taken over by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit for further investigation.
The court heard that while five other adults were initially arrested alongside Menziwa, they were later acquitted due to insufficient evidence, leaving her as the sole accused convicted in the matter.
North West provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Sello Kwena welcomed the outcome, saying the sentence should serve as a warning. “Crimes against women and children will not be tolerated, and the police remain committed to ensuring that perpetrators are brought to book,” Kwena said, according to ANA.
Menziwa will avoid serving direct jail time unless she is convicted of a similar offence during the five-year suspension period.
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
