Police killings: Some
PIGG’S PEAK – Pastors are partly to blame for the manner in which police officers are being gunned down.
Constable Zinhle Mavuso was shot dead while in the company of another police officer when they were duped into responding to a call about an incident. She died on the spot while the other officer was left severely injured.
Pastor Mduduzi Makhanya, who is also a police officer, said pastors were also to blame for the situation. “It is us pastors,” he stated. Makhanya was the programme director of the funeral proceedings.
He said some pastors claimed to prophesy on things God had said yet it was not true. “This has shown us their true colours,” said Makhanya. He said this was a time for people who pretended to be pastors to now come out in the open.
TROUBLE
Makhanya said God would never start up trouble like the way pastors claimed God did so. He said God was a God of peace.
He also stated that some prophets even speak openly referring to police officers and what was happening to them and making fun of it. He said the current situation would not cause police officers to resign, as this was not biblical. “We will not resign because of how some of the police officers were being killed,” he stated.
“If you are a police officer, remain a police officer,” he said as some voices in the crowd shouted, ‘nsongomnyama’, which is one of the Makhanya surname praise names.
Makhanya also said some members of the public were accusing police officers of having killed people. He said even Mavuso was accused of having killed people and that she had to die. “Who did she kill?’ he asked rhetorically.
Throngs of police officers, including some wearing uniforms attended the funeral. Over 500 guests had gathered from the surrounding homes as well as from around the country to pay their last respect to Mavuso.
Police officers took over the funeral proceedings at around 5am, after family members including her brothers had carried the casket outside the tent. As per siSwati tradition, the funeral proceedings were held further from the houses due to the manner in which she died.
Mavuso was given a three-gun-salute by some officers moments before her body was lowered into the grave as some of her relatives and friends wailed. One of her friends, who is also a police officer wept openly.
Pastor Bhekinkosi Mamba, who is also a police officer, preached during the morning service just before Mavuso was buried. Mamba urged mourners to remember to do God’s work when they still had the strength to do so.
Jeremiah Msweli, who is also the
Head Teacher at Mpofu High School, spoke on behalf of Mavuso’s maternal family at the gravesite. He thanked the throngs of people who had gathered to pay their respects.