Prophet Shepherd Bushiri‘s Enlightened Christian Gathering Church (ECG) is negotiating compensation for the families of the three women who died during a stampede at the church last year.
The church was reacting to the report released by the Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Rights Commission Friday morning.
The report found it discriminatory to ask Prophet Shepherd Bushiri to return to his home country.
The Commission also ruled against closing down the church, as requested by the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco).
“We welcome their findings although we are still studying their report. At this point, as a church, we are still busy and occupied. As you know, we are still trying to engage the families and trying to find out what compensation package would greatly assist and suit them. We have met with two of the families. We are still banking on the CRL to assist us in breaking the deadlock between the one remaining family and we are also hoping that the CRL will continue assist us with Sanco,” says ECG Church Spokesperson, Maynard Manyowa.
The findings of the Commission follows an investigation into the impasse between the ECG church, Sanco and the City of Tshwane.
Sanco has called for the closure of the church and that its leader Bushiri return to his country. Chairperson of the CRL Rights Commission Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva says they also found that SAPS and the City of Tshwane failed to comply with the Safety at Sports and Recreation Events Act.
“The press statement issued by the mayor on the 11 of January 2019 that the ECG church was not compliant was unfair, unjust and prejudicial to the ECG church. The statement wrongfully depicted the church as non-compliant. It ignited the community to demand further that Prophet Bushiri should leave South Africa.”
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