Well-known pastor Paseka “Mboro” Motsoeneng’s church has been burned down.
Mboro’s Incredible Happenings Ministry Church in Katlehong, east of Johannesburg, was set on fire on Tuesday morning by irate locals, the majority of whom were young people from different schools.
The church fire comes after a video appeared on social media on Monday, showing Mboro and three other individuals threatening teachers at an Ekurhuleni school while brandishing guns and pangas.
This was after pupils marched to the police station to request that two of the four suspects arrested in relation to the Matsediso Primary School attack be released.
Sunday World was informed by Gauteng police that Mboro has not been taken into custody in relation to the social media video.
Four people have been taken into custody, according to Gauteng police spokesperson Noxolo Kweza, but Mboro has not been taken into custody.
The four suspects are expected to appear in court on Tuesday.
More arrests cannot be ruled out
Kweza said police investigations “were continuing, and at this stage, the possibility of further arrests cannot be ruled out”.
“But we cannot specifically say who we are looking for and who we are not.”
The four individuals are facing charges of assault, handling firearms recklessly, malignant damage to property, and intimidation.
They were at the school to forcefully take two learners with them.
Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu said on Tuesday that they were working to ensure that justice was served.
He said it was unacceptable to have people with guns and pangas causing trouble at schools, as this causes anxiety for the school and the parents of learners.
“The police are dealing with it; they have arrested four people, and we are hoping that more arrests will come. That matter is being dealt with,” said Mchunu.
Minister wants thorough investigation
Minister of Education Siviwe Gwarube said she continues engagement with Mchunu, seeking a thorough investigation into the terrifying and life-threatening incident.
She said the engagements will continue throughout the day to ensure that the children are safe within school premises and that those responsible face the law.
“I am absolutely incensed by this attack on our schools, staff, and learners. No one —absolutely no one — should break into schools with weapons, interrupting teaching and learning time, and terrorising children,” said Gwarube.
“Schools should be a place of safety, teaching and learning. This is why I’ve asked for my colleague’s intervention on this matter.
“The perpetrators must be apprehended and charged. The SAPS [SA Police Service] must also ensure that the children are safe after this ordeal.”
The minister said she also engaged with Matome Chiloane, the MEC for education in Gauteng, requesting that learners, educators, and school staff receive the support needed during this time.
Fight over custody of children
According to the department’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona, the incident was the result of arguments between families over who should have custody of the two children who had their paternal relatives take them yesterday.
According to the preliminary report the department received, Mboro was the two children’s paternal grandfather before their mother passed away in April.
“The incident unfolded on Monday afternoon after school when the father came accompanied by two men, one of them being the pastor, who was armed with two pangas while the other carried an assault rifle,” said Mabona.
“Teachers, acting on the alleged instructions from the grandmother, tried to prevent the father from leaving the school premises with the children.
“In response, the pastor brandished a panga threateningly at the teachers, allowing the father to leave with the children.”
The president of the South African Union of Learners, Oratile Levuno, said Mboro’s actions were disheartening and should not be ignored, especially now that they affected more than one day of teaching and learning.
Schools should be places of safety
He said such actions are inimical to the values of safety, peace, and learning that schools are meant to uphold.
“The recent decision by local schools to abandon their educational duties and resort to the incendiary act of torching a place of worship is nothing short of an abhorrent and senseless reaction,” said Levuno.
“The complete and utter dereliction of duty by the SAPS and Department of Basic Education has facilitated this chaos.
“We unequivocally condemn the burning of the church and the failure of authorities to intervene decisively.
“This episode stands as a glaring indictment of the negligence that has become endemic within our security and educational frameworks.” – Additional reporting by Coceka Magubeni
