WATCH | 'If the church is a problem, where will people run to?' Bushiri on Omotoso allegations

Churches should be places of refuge for the marginalised, women and children, says Prophet Shepherd Bushiri.

"The church is supposed to be a solution. People who are abused are supposed to run to the church to find help, courage, a shoulder and counselling," he said on Tuesday night.

The prophet was reflecting on the Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso, who is standing trial with two co-accused, who face 63 charges ranging from racketeering to sexual assault and rape.

"If the church is being a problem, where will the people run to?" asked Bushiri.

Bushiri was addressing the media after the launch of his six new books. The event had been scheduled to start late afternoon on Tuesday but the prophet made his grand entrance only five hours later. 

The prophet said he had written about the role that must be played by a church, where women and children are meant to be protected.

Bushiri is the leader of the Enlightened Christian Gathering Church and also head of Shepherd Bushiri Investments, which has a number of businesses.

Bushiri said he was relieved that the six books were finally released.

"I feel like a baby is born because it took so much time to write these books," he said.

Bushiri has written and published 10 books this year. His publicists state he has published 32 books since 2015.

An estimated 450 guests attended Tuesday night’s launch in the east of Johannesburg.

A wheelchair-bound woman was among the attendees.

Rose Hibatla, aged 65, who travelled from Pretoria, said she was a "read-aholic".

"I love reading my father's [Bushiri's] books. He is a talented writer. When I read his books, I grow spiritually, physically and emotionally," she told TimesLIVE.

Bushiri, 34, indicated that three more books were in the pipeline. Self-discovery, leadership and youth development are some of the topics to be covered in his next books.

"The books are most likely to be published next year in 2019," he said.