Pastors appeal to community members to stop looting, appeal for churches to be opened

Religious leaders in and around the Katlehong and Vosloorus area under the banner “Enough is Enough Movement” have appealed to the Kathorus community to desist from looting and vandalising property in the area.

Speaking on behalf of the movement on Wednesday, Apostle TI Molefe of the  Villa Lisa Seventh-Day Adventist Church also pleaded with the government to open churches despite COVID-19 regulations.

Molefe says this would allow better communication with community members.

Religious leaders have called are calling for divine intervention. This as the stand-off between police and Vosloorus community members continues outside the Chris Hani Mall on the East Rand.

Amid a day of violent confrontations between the police and looters, pastors arrived to pray. Apostle TI Molefe pleaded with the community to stop the looting.

“We are discouraging all the looting, all the violence all over Gauteng and we hope it won’t spread to the whole country We are totally against it. We don’t support it. It doesn’t matter what the reason is, but we are totally against it. We are here to plead with the community to stop looting, to stop the violence.”

The Enough is Enough Movement wants churches to be reopened. Churches in SA have been closed as one of the measures to deal with the spread of the COVID-19.

“At the same time, we plead with the government to open the churches, because at least if we can have a voice we can be able to reach out to people. At this point in time, the churches are closed and the people are far away from us. So, it’s not so easy for us to communicate and people are far away from us. So, it’s not so easy for us to communicate and be in contact with the community, but when our churches are open it’s a little bit easier.”

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Addressing the nation last Sunday on the adjusted Alert Level 4 regulations President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that gyms, fitness centres and restaurants could open for business. Molefe insists that churches should be open as well.

“Well, the third wave is here. We are not sceptical. We also believe it is here. But gyms are open. Restaurants are open, for fifty people apparently. Why can’t we do the same, as the church? We have been doing it all along,” says Molefe.