Churchgoers, pastor go missing in rivers

TWO churches – one in Durban and the other in Joburg – are mourning at least three members who drowned during baptisms. Several congregants also went missing in the water during the ceremonies.

In the incident in Inanda in Durban, a member of the New Galilee Church in Zion died, while a pastor is still missing after a baptism ceremony at Inanda Dam on Thursday.

In Joburg, emergency services and police search-and-rescue were yesterday searching for 15 people swept away during a church baptism or ritual along the Jukskei River on Saturday afternoon.

Yesterday, at Inanda, members of the church gathered at the dam hoping for the recovery of the body of pastor Sikhumbuzo Sibisi.

According to Siboniso Zungu of the church, Sibisi and a woman, Busi Mazibukho, slipped and went under during a baptism ceremony on Thursday.

“We were standing on the edge of the river. When the pastor was praying for Busi Mazibuko, she slipped into the water. The pastor tried to catch Busi, but while doing so the water was flowing very fast and he also drowned,” said Zungu.

Zungu added that while Mazibuko's body had been recovered, the pastor was still missing.

“Our pastor is still missing, but we found Busi on the same day (Thursday). We are still looking for him,” he said.

Provincial police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said an inquest docket had been opened.

In the Jukskei incident the City of Joburg said: “Last night (Saturday), people were conducting a church ritual or baptism when a storm came through and in the process (swept) about two people away and one person was rescued,” EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi told Newzroom Afrika.

Mulaudzi added that the two were confirmed dead.