POLL | Should pastors have guns to protect congregants against robbers?

Dwayne Gordon, who was a guest pastor at Eagle Christian Church in Newlands, Johannesburg, was shot dead and two people injured during an armed robbery. (Dwayne Gordon/Facebook )

The murder of a pastor, Dwayne Gordon, during a church service at Eagle Christian Centre in Newlands, Johannesburg, after armed robbers ambushed congregants on Friday has left many South Africans asking themselves: “Is there any place where we are safe?”

Police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said about six men stormed the church and opened fire. Gordon was fatally shot and two other people sustained gunshot wounds. The suspects robbed churchgoers of their cellphones and other belongings.

Gordon was a guest preacher during the church's “restoration conference” and in his final moments captured in a live Facebook broadcast he thanked the church pastors for inviting him. A few seconds later gunshot sounds were fired and he lost his life.

“We were confronted by a tragic and harrowing situation. Six armed individuals entered our sacred place of worship, robbing members of their belongings, tragically taking the life of our guest speaker, prophet Dwayne Gordon,” the church said.

“As a church we will be taking additional security measures to safeguard our congregation and ensure their safety during future gatherings.”

The recent shooting has sparked debate on social media whether churches should start getting armed protection services as they are not spared from violent crime.

In July, many people were left stunned after congregants at a church in Tea Estate, KwaZulu-Natal, were robbed during a service that was live-streamed.

Rugby legend Joost van der Westhuizen’s brother Pieter was in the spotlight in 2020 when he returned fire, killing two armed robbers who had attempted to rob people at the Querencia Ministries Church in Centurion during a service. A third robber fled.

Pieter van der Westhuizen, a former cop, shot and killed two suspected robbers at the Querencia Ministries Church in Centurion during a service. (Facebook )

A case was opened to determine whether Pieter, a former police officer, had acted negligently or lawfully. Ulrich Roux and Associates law firm, which successfully represented him during the police investigation, argued that Pieter acted in self-defence, saying his actions might have prevented innocent churchgoers being hurt or killed by the armed robbers.

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