Mboro’s church burnt to ashes

Controversial Pastor Mboro’s Incredible Happenings Church has been reduced to ashes in Katlehong, in Ekurhuleni.

Aggrieved community members, led by school children, torched the church, expressing their frustration over the lack of urgency from the police.

Mboro, whose real name is Paseka Motsoeneng, came under fire yesterday after he stormed Matshidiso Primary School in what is believed to have been a custody dispute between his family and that of his son’s deceased wife.

Bush Knives and high-calibre rifles were seen flying over two young pupils who were screaming and kicking as they were forcefully removed from the school premises.

The pastor claims that he is the grandfather to the two pupils enrolled at the school.

The incident has sent shockwaves across the country, with the public saying such lawlessness should not be tolerated, especially in schools.

Christian party, ACDP, has expressed disappointment in Mboro’s conduct and has pleaded with the community to exercise restraint.

The party’s spokesperson, Raymond Tlaeli, says the controversial pastor has cast a cloud over religious leaders with his actions.

“We would have expected him as a man of God to at least have attended to this matter peacefully because the main thing that we are called to do as Biblical leaders and Christians is to be peacemakers.”

“We would have expected him to at least intervene in that family matter in a manner that would bring about peace between the father and the grandparents of the children.”

Tlaeli also bemoaned the trauma that the children and teachers may have suffered seeing those kinds of weapons being wielded around.

“When it comes to education, we still believe that the environment needs to be well protected, because you are dealing with teachers who are parents and mostly female, and there you could see teachers exposing themselves to danger to try and quell the matter.”

Several other political organisations, including the DA, and Action SA have also condemned the horrifying incident.

They say the safety of learners and teachers must be prioritised at all times.

The DA has called on the Departments of Education and Community Safety to review the school safety strategy to ensure an environment free of violence.

Fellow pastor, Bishop I Makamu, who is also a community member in Katlehong visited the scene.

He says while he doesn’t have much detail on why Mboro acted in the manner that he did, what is unfolding in the community has also affected him.

Makamu is also a well-known pastor in the community.

The community is burning Pastor Mboro’s church 😭😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/xuDZ4DuWTH

— ツ O R I (@Ori_RSA) August 6, 2024

Pupils weren’t going to come up with that on their own, an adult must be held accountable for this. Once those kids are done with Mboro’s church they have learned that you can solve your problems with violence, the whole society is going to be chaotic https://t.co/5B000fAWTq

— NJABULO NZIMANDE (@njaps12) August 6, 2024

Mboro’s church was set alight in Katlehong this morning, the people who did this realized he’s a con artist,

this makes sense as he never built a proper church for his congregation instead, he used the money made in church to fund his lifestyle.

Glad to see the masses awake! https://t.co/tN4biR5FB8 pic.twitter.com/DkghoVIFfv

— UNRULY UNIVERSAL (@uuniversalmusic) August 6, 2024

One of Mboro’s supporters has slammed community members actions, branding them ungrateful.

Police District Commissioner, Major General Anna Sithole, says they are investigating a case of arson and those involved in the torching of Mboro’s church will be brought to book.

She says the learners were demanding that the arrested suspects be released to the community.

“So, while the station commander was trying to reason with them another group came out to go and burn the church.”

Five people have so far been arrested.

Her boss, Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Major General Tommy Mthombeni, confirms the arrests in the video below.

He has also denied claims that the police dragged their feet in dealing with Mboro.