Church claims harassment

MEMBERS of a Joburg church feel threatened after Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers allegedly harassed congregants last week.

Last week on Sunday, rioting congregants from The Revelation Church of God allegedly advanced towards the officers.

The police are accused of retaliating at the time by firing live ammunition into the air in an apparent bid to remove illegally parked vehicles in the area.

Yesterday, some church members held placards with slogans such as: “Stop saying that the church beat the police”, “Church condemns unprovoked beating by JMPD officer” and “Remove squatters from our land”.

The church’s spokesperson, Thembi Tulwana, said the altercation did not happen on their premises and insisted that their members had not been involved.

She said the incident had happened a few blocks away from the church.

“The JMPD came around 9am (last Sunday), saying they were there to remove illegally parked cars,” Tulwana said.

“They then came back around 11.45am and said they would be removing 100 illegally parked vehicles, and that they were just ‘doing their job’.

“The police officer then shot into the air and that was when the crowd charged, and by the time the officer had tripped and fallen, he had fired three shots.”

Tulwana said JMPD officers had returned on Thursday to search congregation members, and attempted to forcibly gain entry into the church, ostensibly to implement by-laws.

Meanwhile, JMPD spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said the officers were just trying to implement by-laws, and that the matter was being investigated.