This violent incident happened in the early Saturday when an armed group stormed the International Pentecostal Holiness Church in Zuurbekom, on the outskirts of Johannesburg, “inciting that they were coming to take over the premises,” the police said.
At least five people were killed and 40 people which includes off-duty police officers, were arrested on Saturday after gunmen stormed a South African church, reportedly over a leadership dispute, narrated by the national police commissioner.
According to a statement by South Africa’s top cop, General Khehla John Sitole: “Four people were found shot and burnt to death in a car while a fifth victim, a security guard, was also fatally shot in his car while he was apparently attending this complaint.
In 2016, this same church had so many succession-related clashes that was widely reported by local media since the multimillionaire leader and founder Comforter Glayton Modise died.
Read Also: Covid-19 Tech Challenge: Ministry Youths and Sports flag off. APPLY HERE
General Khehla John Sitole said police responded to reports of “shooting and an alleged hostage situation,” and seized more than 34 firearms including five rifles, 16 other guns and 13 pistols.
More than 40 suspects, including six taken to hospital has been arrested. They included members of the South African police, the National Defence Force, the Johannesburg Metro Police and the Department of Correctional Services.
Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said that the law enforcement officers arrested were worshipers that got caught up in the clashes.
“They were arrested in their capacity as church members, not as officers,” Naidoo said in an interview with AFP.
This is believed to be South Africa’s second-largest church group, it’s members were estimated to be at least 1.5 million according to the financial services group Sanlam.
In 2017, the warring factions went to court over claims that more than R110 million ($6.5 million) was missing from church coffers.
Investigation is however going on.
