Locked in, Shamed, and Exploited: Former Patients Say This Rehab is More Like a Cult

Calls grow for the closure of the controversial Tetelestai Recovery Centre as locals and ex-patients expose disturbing stories of abuse and manipulation.

In what’s become a growing outcry on social media and within local communities, the Tetelestai Recovery Centre (TRC) in Gauteng has landed in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Once seen by desperate families as a refuge for loved ones battling addiction, TRC is now being described as something much darker, a place of spiritual abuse, public humiliation, and psychological torment.

The initial spotlight was cast after an investigation by The Citizen, and since then, more ex-patients have come forward, painting a grim picture of what life inside the facility was really like.

“It’s Not a Rehab. It’s Something Sinister.”

One former patient shared that he was sent to the centre for a minor cigarette habit. But what he endured sounded more like punishment than treatment. After being caught smoking, he was allegedly locked in a tiny room “no bigger than a toilet” and forced to scrub it for hours with a brush each day.

Another spoke of being forced to dig a hole with a teaspoon, sitting in the same spot from dawn to nightfall—for three weeks straight. Witnesses claim the same happened to others. He also alleges he was robbed of R7,000 and called a racial slur by a volunteer.

It’s these stories and many more that have locals comparing TRC to a cult. “Not a rehab, but something sinister,” one community member wrote in a now-viral Facebook post. Rumours have even swirled about other illegal activities on the property, though those remain unconfirmed.

A Manipulator Cloaked in Religion?

At the heart of the controversy is TRC’s founder, De Klerk, a man accused by many of using religious doctrine as a tool of control rather than healing.

One woman, who says she fled the centre after just a week, despite paying for six months upfront, claimed that De Klerk would shame patients using scripture, label them as “monsters,” and pressure families to keep their loved ones inside longer all while racking up higher fees.

She also accused him of inappropriate sexual behaviour—allegations De Klerk has previously denied.

Race, Isolation, and Emotional Torture

Across various testimonials, a pattern emerges: people of colour allege racial abuse, and many describe being deliberately isolated, silenced, and stripped of dignity under the guise of healing.

“I was broken before I arrived,” one former resident posted anonymously. “But what they did to me there didn’t help it destroyed me more.”

Justice on the Horizon?

Now, momentum is building for accountability. Some ex-patients are banding together, hoping to launch a collective civil and criminal case. The call for a police investigation is getting louder, with many urging victims to formally press charges.

Private investigator Brad Nathanson, hired by the family of the late Luke Edwards—who tragically died during or shortly after his time at TRC, said what he’s uncovered matches everything he’s heard from others. “Nothing shocks me anymore about De Klerk. This is textbook cult behaviour with a God complex. It’s repulsive,” Nathanson said.

Cultural Context: Desperation Makes Families Vulnerable

South Africa has long struggled with addiction treatment access. Many private centres charge exorbitant fees, and public facilities are overwhelmed. TRC’s promise of faith-based recovery seemed like an answer for many. But instead of care, some families say they found exploitation masked by religion.

Social Media Explodes

Online, stories continue to emerge from former patients, neighbours, and even ex-staff. Hashtags like #ShutDownTRC and #TRCTruth are spreading, and anonymous tip-offs have begun circulating on local community pages.

One post reads: “If you’ve ever been inside that place, you know it’s not about healing. It’s about control.”

What Happens Next?

As public pressure mounts and more voices speak out, authorities may have no choice but to investigate. Whether TRC is ultimately shut down remains to be seen. But for now, those who escaped say the only recovery they’ve truly experienced came after walking out its gates for good.

If you or someone you know has been affected by Tetelestai Recovery Centre, contact local support services or legal aid clinics to explore your rights.

{Source: The Citizen}

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