Five dead in hostage drama at Gauteng mega church

According to a statement by the South African Police Service (SAPS): "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."

The unusually violent incident took place early Saturday when an armed group stormed the mega church, "indicating that they were coming to take over the premises," police said.

The church has had multiple succession-related clashes that have been widely reported by local media since multimillionaire leader and founder Comforter Glayton Modise died in 2016.

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, were arrested. 

They included members of the South African police, the National Defence Force, the Johannesburg Metro Police and the Department of Correctional Services.

Authorities are investigating "the possibility that this attack may have been motivated by a feud between conflicted parties of the church," which is used to factional struggles. 

Local media reported that in November 2018, a shoot-out between opposing sides wounded three people outside the church headquarters in Zuurbekom. 

In 2017, the warring factions went to court over claims that more than R110 million was missing from church coffers.

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