Church congregation fights Ledumadumane residents
Angry villagers lock up gates Sunday Service cancelled Fuming Prophet threatens to sue
Residents of Ledumadumane, Kgwanyape ward in Mogoditshane recently took matters into their own hands, when they forcibly removed a church from their community recreational park.
The scheduled Sunday service for Divine Fortress Church never happened this past weekend after the congregation found gates tightly locked and a ‘warning’ messages pasted on the church walls.
The Midweek Sun has since learnt that a lease agreement on the use of the community recreational park plot by the church came to an end months back. The church congregation has since been informed that the Kgwanyape community, being the owners of the plot, have taken a decision to take back the park plot by locking it up after the tenants refused to move out following numerous notices to vacate the property. “The last day for the church was 31st May 2021, which was courteously extended to 30th June 2021. A Godly church should be respectful to the community. We want our park back”, reads the writing on the church wall.
According to witnesses, each worshiper arriving at the place on Sunday was shocked to find security guards blocking the church entrance.
It was not long before Village Development Committee (VDC) leadership intervened as numbers by the church entrance continued to swell and even spilled to the main road. Church founder Jeff Ezekiel Matshaba has since told the Police that he was in possession of a lease signed by him and VDC that proved that he was not occupying the plot illegally.“What kind of Pastor are you, where is your holiness? Just do the right thing and leave”, members of the community could be heard after Matshaba stood his ground during the stand off. The standoff eventually culminated in headman of Kgwanyape ward Kebapetse Ramatlapeng arriving and joining the angry villagers asking Matshaba and his people to leave. The VDC led by Chairperson Bontle Pilane advised that there was no need to be shouting in the streets. Pilane blamed Matshaba and wife, saying they were summoned many times to address the matter but never showed up.
The Matshaba’s refuted this, saying no one had ever invited them to a meeting, but acknowledged once receiving a letter which did not specify in detail the date for the meeting. In Matshaba’s corner was also area Councillor Otlaadisa Kgwathala who explained to the police that what the villagers were doing was wrong by harassing the church. “You are the one misleading this fake pastor of yours. Be honest Councillor because you are bringing nothing but pain to villagers”, a woman standing at the back of the crowd intercepted.
After listening to both sides of the arguments, the police advised all to disperse. “You will find a day to discuss this matter and map a way forward. For peace sake, we request that all go home. Leave the church locked as it is”. It was then that Matshaba agreed and told the unhappy villagers that there was need to get to the bottom of the matter since they were clearly in the dark about the deals he had made with the VDC. “I cannot stubbornly stay where I am not wanted. If I am kicked out now, I request to be compensated for the developments I made”, Matshaba said. “We should not be seen to be fighting. We will speak to our people to go home. We are ready to resolve this issue. I might be wrong or you may be wrong”, he said. Matshaba then turned to his congregation and asked them not to trouble their emotions.
“Do not be angry or provoked rather pray and pray for your enemies too. Let the truth prevail in the end”, the prophet said.
Meanwhile Kweneng District Council Secretary Goleba Kgari told this publication last month that they had written a letter to the church reminding them to vacate the plot. Kgari said he was not in a position to tell their next step should the church not move as instructed.