by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – A MACHETE-wielding pastor backed by an armed entourage storms a school, kidnaps children during class and dangerously swings his sword-like weapon at teachers threatening to stop him.
Thereafter, students enraged by this preacher’s conduct, burn his nearby church to ashes, in retaliation.
This unfortunate spectacle is an addition to a spate of robberies perpetrated against churches.
That is how crime in South Africa has reached unprecedented levels.
These scenes have rocked the country’s third largest township Katlehong, some 28 kilometres east of Johannesburg.
It mirrors how places of learning in South Africa have ceased to be safe havens for children and how the church has lost its moral compass in the country that is one of the most violent societies in the world.
Katlehong is only behind Soweto and Tembisa respectively in terms of size. Ironically its name translates to “Place of rest” in the local Sotho.
There was disbelief and anger on Monday as videos circulated of the controversial Paseka “Pastor Mboro” Motsoeneng (56) stormed a local primary school and forcefully took two scholars believed to be his grandchildren.
The children are reportedly the subject of a family dispute over their custody after the recent passing away of their mother.
Motsoeneng, born in this predominantly-black Katlehong, is captured on video brandishing a machete/panga two-handed grip. He swings it in the direction of educators that are dissuading him from taking the hapless children.
His bodyguards are armed with a rifle and pangas.
The controversial pastor and his guards easily breach the unarmed security personnel at the school. Chaos emerges as the two boys are taken to a vehicle parked off the school’s premises.
Alleviating such horrors at South African schools must be a priority for the new coalition government as local schools are epicenters of racism and violence among students or scholars against teachers.
Lax security is blamed for the crisis, which has resulted in some deaths. There have been in recent years kidnap-for-ransom gangs abducting learners outside school.
Siviwe Gwarube, the Basic Education minister, expressed shock at the incident in Katlehong.
“I am absolutely incensed by this attack on our schools, staff and learners,” she reacted.
“No one – absolutely no one – should break into schools with weapons interrupting teaching and learning time and terrorising children,” Gwarube said.
Gwarube, has asked for the intervention of Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu, for urgent investigation.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) on Tuesday confirmed the flamboyant church leader and three other men had been arrested.
They are facing various charges including assault, handling a firearm recklessly, rendering security services while not registered, malicious damage to property and intimidation.
A fifth suspect has been arrested for assaulting the local police station commander when a group of people demanded mob justice on the pastor, who is a self-styled prophet.
Authorities have pledged to send counselors to assist the scholars and teachers traumatized by the incident.
“We will not tolerate any acts of violence or intimidation and will take all necessary measures to protect our learners and educators,” Gauteng provincial head of Education, Matome Chiloane, said.
On Tuesday, locals set alight the church of “Pastor Mbhoro” in retaliation for the skirmishes at the school.
Schoolchildren from different education centres in the region allegedly led in the act of arson.
With a penchant for a flashy lifestyle comprising lavish cars and designer labels, Motsoeneng is not new to controversy.
His claims range from him going to hell and killing Satan, taking selfies with Jesus in heaven and having access to the Pearly Gates.
Motsoeneng is among so-called millionaire men of God capitalising on desperate South Africans as the continent’s biggest economy endures joblessness and social ills.
– CAJ News