Protesters silence Omotoso church ‘indefinitely’
THE service at Timothy Omotoso’s Jesus Dominion International (JDI) church in Port Elizabeth was suspended yesterday after civil society groups and political parties protested outside the premises to demand that the church be shut down.
Congregants left the premises as angry protesters sang, some holding placards about woman abuse.
The “Citizens In Unity” group included members of the ANC Youth League, ANC Women’s League, and EFF, as well as representatives of the South African Federation of Trade Unions and the South African Students’ Congress.
Police and metro police officers guarding the building had to deal with a few scuffles with angry protesters.
Congregants also clashed with protesters as police stepped in to defuse the tense situation.
ANC Women’s Desk member Nomafa Sinetile pleaded with protesters to exercise discipline, but they demanded that the JDI branding with Omotoso’s face be removed from the building.
During the fracas, most congregants remained inside the building as they were afraid to leave.
They eventually vacated the premises amid shouts from protesters who yelled: “We are not fighting, we are here to save you from people who pretend that they are God but are not! We don’t have a problem with you! Just save yourselves and leave! Run, Omotoso, run! Run for your lives!”
ANCYL regional secretary Luyolo Nqakula said the protesting group had achieved its objective with the services being suspended yesterday.
He said he had engaged earlier yesterday with the church leadership who were “arrogant” and insisted that they had a right to congregate.
But Nqakula said feedback from the metro indicated that the zoning for the church building was meant for business premises.
“They came back with a response that the zoning for these premises is for a business, meaning a church can’t operate there,” he said.
EFF regional spokesperson Luvuyo Ponase said the closure of Omotoso’s church was indefinite.
“The church is within the CBD and in terms of zoning you can’t have a church in a business area, this is a business area.
“And most importantly the closure is not for today’s (Sunday) service, it is indefinite. This church is not going to be opened again, they have even agreed to remove that poster.”
Citizens In Unity vowed to continue protest action and to support rape survivors as the trial continued in the Port Elizabeth High Court, Ponase said.
The Nigerian pastor faces 63 main charges and 34 alternative counts, including human trafficking, rape, sexual assault, racketeering, and conspiracy in aiding another person to commit sexual assault.
His two alleged henchwomen, Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho, are accused of recruiting girls from all over the country for purposes of sexual exploitation.
The 58-year-old televangelist allegedly trafficked more than 30 girls and women from various branches of his church to a house in uMhlanga, north of Durban, where he allegedly sexually exploited them.
The trial resumes today with witness Cheryl Zondi still under crossexamination by the defence.