The SA Council of Churches has condemned criminal attacks on churches where congregants are robbed and priests murdered.
Rev Mzwandile Molo, deputy general secretary of the SACC, said the attacks in Gauteng are an indicator that the violence in the communities has spilt into places of worship.
“Unfortunately, these are not isolated incidents within the life of our faith communities. Their prevalence does not make it right. The SACC condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the actions of those who terrorise our communities.
“We particularly raise our voices against the attacks that target places of worship. There was a time when religious spaces were accepted as places of refuge. There was a level of reverence and respect afforded to religious spaces. These are sacred places to us that deserve respect and honour. Any attack on a religious space is more than just a criminal act, it’s sacrilege which we cannot tolerate,” Molo said.
The reaction from the SACC comes after police in Gauteng confirmed to TimesLIVE Premium that another pastor was killed about three weeks ago during a robbery of a church in Malvern.
There was a level of reverence and respect afforded to religious spaces. These are sacred places to us that deserve respect and honour. Any attack on a religious space is more than just a criminal act, it’s sacrilege which we cannot tolerate.
— Rev Mzwandile Molo, deputy general secretary of the SACC
Capt Mavela Masondo said pastor Siyabonga Hlongwane was conducting a service when three armed men stormed into his church.
“The armed suspects entered the church and robbed congregants of their cellphones. It is reported that one of the suspects shot and killed the pastor,” Masondo said.
He added: “We have since noticed a trend where churches are attacked. Police are searching for the suspects responsible for this heinous behaviour. Churches are urged to work closely with the local police stations and community police forums to tighten security and intensify police patrols during church service. Members from crime intelligence are hard at work to identify the reasons behind criminals attacking churches and how to combat this lawlessness.”
Hlongwane is the second pastor who has been killed in a church robbing in as many weeks.
Earlier this month, pastor Dwayne Gordon, who was invited as a guest preacher at Eagles Christian Centre in Newlands, Johannesburg, was killed and three congregants injured when a gang of armed men stormed the church and opened fire.
The sermon was being live-streamed on the church’s social media accounts.
On October 15, a 13-year-old boy was assaulted during a robbery by four men at the Reformed Church in Daspoort, west of Pretoria, on Sunday evening. Members of the church were counting money at the back of the church when four armed men came and took the money.
The robbers also took cellphones, jewellery and the church laptop. The teenager was hit on the head with a pistol during the attack.
Molo called on police to double their efforts to ensure the safety of communities.
“We encourage our people, through structures like community policing forums, to work with the police in preventing crime and increase their vigilance to help arrest the perpetrators of these crimes,” Molo said.
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