Zuurbekom church ‘harboured criminals’- CRL Rights Commission
The CRL Rights Commission has accused the International Pentecost Holiness Church of harbouring criminals among its congregants.
This after five people were killed and 40 arrested on Saturday after gunmen stormed the church in Zuurbekom, west of Johannesburg.
READ: Five dead in hostage drama at Gauteng mega church
The church has had several feuds among different groups of congregants, as different groups battle to seize control of the multi-million-rand church following the death of founder Comforter Glayton Modise in 2016.
The CRL Rights Commission’s chairperson David Masoma says it is shocking that a church could experience this level of violence.
“Our disquiet is that the church has been turned into a warzone, something very unimaginable in the history of the country.
“We believe as a commission that deem the religious institutions of our country to be a model of society where problems, no matter how difficult they can be are solved peacefully using conflict resolution.”
He believes those involved in the violence cannot call themselves believers.
“In this incident we think the church has harboured criminals pretending to be religious or Christian''