Bishop, his family and congregants forced to flee Willowvale

A NGCOBO “man of the cloth” claims he had to run for dear life from angry Willowvale villagers earlier this week because of the controversial Angels Ministry Church in Ngcobo.

Bishop Thobela Mzondi, who is the founder of the Servers of God Ministries, told the Saturday Dispatch how he and his family had to hail a taxi late in the evening after angry community leaders of Qwaninga village in Willowvale threatened him and some of his congregants on Wednesday.

“I have another branch that side [Willowvale] and I have been working in that village [Qwaninga] for two years now,” said a visibly shaken Mzondi on Thursday evening.

“I sent my wife and my team over there to inform the community leaders about my intention host a revival.”

He said the situation took a turn when on Wednesday the villagers allegedly demanded Mzondi hand over his ID since he was from Ngcobo. When he refused, he and some of his congregants were threatened.

Mzondi treatment in to said the they received Willowvale was due to the Angels Ministry Church, where seven men were killed in a shootout with police after being accused of being behind an attack on the Ngcobo police station.

“I am from Manzana village and have never been to the Mancoba church in my life,” Mzondi said.

He said he went to the local police who told him to gather his belongings and leave Qwaninga village to escape the villagers’ wrath.

Mzondi said it would be better if government demolished the premises of the church as it was beginning to affect other people who had nothing to do with it.

His words were echoed by South African Council of Churches chairman in the Ngcobo sub-region Reverend Melusi Keto, who blamed the government for failing to act when the “ungodly” acts of the Angels Ministry first came to the fore two years ago.

“We are saddened by the attack on Bishop Mzondi as we are all now crucified for the evils of a cult the government knew about as far back as 2016.” —