The Incredible Happenings Ministry Church of well-known pastor Paseka "Mboro" Motsoeneng was set ablaze on Tuesday morning by irate locals, a majority of whom were young people from different schools.
This act of arson comes after a video surfaced on social media on Monday, showing Mboro and three other individuals threatening teachers at an Ekurhuleni school while brandishing guns and pangas.
The incident unfolded on Monday afternoon after school when the father of two children, accompanied by two men, one of them being Mboro, arrived at the school. According to the Department of Basic Education, Mboro was the children's paternal grandfather, and their mother had passed away in April. The father, armed with two pangas, and the other man carrying an assault rifle, attempted to take the children from the school. Teachers, acting on instructions from the grandmother, tried to prevent the father from leaving with the children.
In response, Mboro allegedly brandished a panga threateningly at the teachers, allowing the father to leave with the children. This incident sparked outrage among the community, leading to the burning of Mboro's church.
The incident has also drawn condemnation from various figures. The Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, expressed his concern, stating that it was unacceptable to have people with guns and pangas causing trouble at schools. He confirmed that four individuals had been arrested and that more arrests were possible.
Minister of Education Siviwe Gwarube echoed this sentiment, stating that she was "absolutely incensed" by the attack and that no one should break into schools with weapons. She stressed that schools should be places of safety, teaching, and learning.
The president of the South African Union of Learners, Oratile Levuno, also condemned the incident, stating that Mboro's actions were disheartening and should not be ignored. He highlighted that schools should be places of safety, peace, and learning, and that the recent decision by local schools to burn the church was an "abhorrent and senseless reaction". He also criticised the lack of decisive intervention by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Department of Basic Education.
The four suspects are facing charges of assault, handling firearms recklessly, malicious damage to property, and intimidation. While police investigations are ongoing, the possibility of further arrests cannot be ruled out.
