Members of the Julius Malema-led Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party on Sunday joined up with Soshanguve residents of Pretoria to burn down a church belonging to a pastor who recently made the news in South Africa for making congregants eat rats and snakes.
The EFF and angry residents visited the church situated in the Shoshanguve township, some 25 km north of Pretoria.
Pastor Penuel Mnguni has made headlines in recent weeks for feeding his congregants snakes and rats saying it was for deliverance. Pastor Penuel is also known for stomping on members of his congregation as well as making them strip naked as part of his ‘healing’ method.
He was nowhere to be seen on Sunday when the EFF and residents visited the tent where his church meets for their services.
“Residents and members of EFF were enraged when a man on the podium continued with the services while they were inquiring about the whereabouts of the pastor,” said an eyewitness.
They then decided to burn down the tent where the church service is normally held and within minutes, the tent was ablaze.
There was also an exchange of blows between congregants and residents.
Police officers soon arrived to calm down the situation.
End Times Ministries
The EFF in Gauteng province has vowed to force Pastor Penuel to taste his own medicine by forcing him to eat the snakes and rats he has been feeding the congregants.
Just two days ago, the South African Council of Churches (SACC) said it was concerned at the practices of some churches.
The SACC convened a meeting on Thursday to discuss “the escalation of the bizarre practices of some pastors in the name of Christ”.
The Council’s acting general secretary, Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana, said they had written to the Human Rights Commission to launch a probe into the churches.
He added: “The SACC has received numerous complaints and calls from exasperated people for intervention regarding certain unconventional practices by some pastors.
“This follows reports and video clips that tell of goings on in churches in Soshanguve, where Pastor Lesego Daniels of Rabboni Ministries, and his protege Pastor Penuel Mnguni of The End Times Ministries, are said to be making devotees drink petrol, eat grass, eat snakes and rats in the name of salvation in Christ.”
{{Source: Africa Review}}
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