WATCH: 18 children rescued from suspected church cult with more expected

I will be watching for more information on this.  Very troubling,,, 

The Eastern Cape Department of Social Development and the SAPS have been involved in the rescue of the 18 children after a grueling two hour bout of negotiation. The church leaders refused to open the premises and the police forced themselves in.

With mother NomaIndiya Mfikwana having last seen her children six years ago, tensions are high in the community with anticipation mounting that more rescues will happen.

WATCH: 18 children rescued from suspected church cult with more expected

Evil aunts get life for exorcism killing | IOL

The women who should have been protecting their 14-year-old niece, but who instead killed her, were on Friday called “instruments of evil” in the Durban High Court, where they were sentenced to life imprisonment.

The image of the educated and churchgoing women belied the evil intent which they displayed when they disembowelled the teenager via her private parts in an exorcism to remove what they thought was a “demon code” located in her intestines.

The women - Fundiswa Faku, 33, and Lindelwa Jalubane, 41, with Jalubane’s daughters, Nokubonga, who will turn 22 tomorrow, and Minenhle, 19 - stood in the dock of the Durban High Court on Friday, their faces covered by jersey hoods and scarves.
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“The horrific exorcism was performed under the pretext that you were removing a secret code of a demon from her abdomen. The evidence shows that all of you acted in common purpose to kill.”

In mitigation of sentence, pyshco-social reports from social workers were presented.

The reports stated that all four were first-time offenders in good physical and mental health. Other circumstances of their family life were also set out. They all attended the same church and were “devout Christians”.

Evil aunts get life for exorcism killing | IOL

UPDATE::EFF, community burn 'Pastor Snakes' church | The Citizen

UPDATED 9/8/2015 to add:  South Africa: Police Probe Raid of Snake Pastor’s Church

Activists from the country’s opposition party, Economic Freedom Fighters, disrupted a church service near the capital city of Pretoria, burning down at least one tent in the process. EFF activists said they were carrying out the raid because they wanted the church’s head, Pastor Penuel Mnguni, to lead by example; by eating snakes and rats himself.
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While Mnguni gained significant notoriety from photographs showing him dangling live snakes into the mouths of his followers, police officials recently withdrew charges of animal cruelty that were lodged against the pastor. Police spokesperson Mathews Nkoadi said in a statement that there were not enough eyewitnesses or evidence to pursue the case against Mnguni.

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Yesterday concerned residents and members of the EFF descended on the church – a huge white marquee in a yard in extension 13. They demanded to speak to anyone with authority at the church.

No one took notice of their demands. Ignoring the interference, an elder continued preaching and occasionally drew responses of “Hallelujah, Amen” from the congregation.

Not happy with being ignored, the group of about 300 residents and EFF members became agitated.

Some shouted “Let’s burn this church … to hell with this pastor who is destroying our community”. The commotion soon developed into a physical confrontation with some church members exchanging blows with their detractors.

Minutes later the huge tent was set alight. Police were called but by the time they arrived, the tent had burnt to the ground.

A police officer was heard asking a congregant where the pastor was and he was told “he’s long gone”. Before the marquee was burned down pastor Mnguni had been very actively preparing for the service.

Asked for an interview by The Citizen, the controversial pastor said: “Not now, we are preparing for our service.”

EFF, community burn 'Pastor Snakes' church | The Citizen

See also:  South Africa: 'Snake Pastor' to Be Probed By Religious Commission

Pastor Commands Congregation to Eat Live Snake That Allegedly Turns Into Chocolate; Gets Arrested for Animal Cruelty

Photos posted to the Facebook page of End Times Disciples Ministries in Soshanguve, South Africa, led by the controversial young prophet Penuel Mnguni, show several of his congregants being fed what appear to be snakes as others look on with squeamish expressions.

Accompanying the photos was a message quoting Scripture and testifying of the alleged conversion of the snake into chocolate.

"‪#‎Demonstration‬ of God's Power, Romans 14. Those with small faith eats (sic) only vegetables but the ones with a great faith eats (sic) everything. During service Man of God commanded a snake to change into a chocolate and it obeyed. People ate it and enjoyed it. To God Be The Glory!" noted the message.

Mnguni was reportedly an understudy of another controversial South African pastor, Lesego Daniel, who convinced his followers to eat grass and drink petrol last year.

South Africa's Eyewitness News reported that Mnguni was arrested over the weekend after the country's animal rights group, the SPCA, charged him with animal cruelty. He was later released on bail as local courts try to find a date for his next appearance.
 
There were no conditions set for the young pastor's bail and the SPCA's Mishack Matlou said he was troubled by the lack of conditions as Mnguni reportedly fed his congregants rats on Sunday.

Pastor Commands Congregation to Eat Live Snake That Allegedly Turns Into Chocolate; Gets Arrested for Animal Cruelty

ADDENDUM::Four Eastern Cape circumcision deaths reported | News24

Four initiates have died from circumcisions thus far this season, the Eastern Cape health department said on Sunday.

Spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said the four boys had been from the Port St Johns, Qumbu, Ngqeleni, and Chris Hani districts.

"The Port St Johns boy had a septic penis and swollen knee, suggesting beatings. The 29-year-old initiate from Qumbu is suspected to have defaulted from his chronic medication but confirmation will be revealed on Monday after an autopsy," he said.

Four Eastern Cape circumcision deaths reported | News24

Teen could lose his penis after botched circumcision | News24

An Eastern Cape teen could lose his penis after a botched circumcision, while another is showing signs of assault after attending initiation school, the provincial health department said.

Spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said the two were taken to different hospitals on Tuesday.

"The two had severe injuries. One was taken to the Nelson Mandela Central Hospital [in Mthatha]. He might lose his penis."

He emphasised that doctors would not amputate the organ.
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Including the pair, 13 teens had been hospitalised for botched circumcisions in the province over the last few weeks.

"All of this is unnecessary. Government is there to help. Going to hospital carries a stigma and that is why we are spending money hiring doctors to go to the schools."

He said boys at some schools were showing signs of dehydration, suggesting they were being denied access to water.

"Even boys with medical conditions who need chronic meds are being denied them," Kupelo said.

"It is only in one part [of the province] where the people are like this. There, the elders who were not circumcised are referred to as 'boys' and are not even allowed [to oversee the initiations]."

Teen could lose his penis after botched circumcision | News24

UPDATE::Fatal church collapse in Nigeria raises concerns over Christian televangelist - The Globe and Mail

T.B. Joshua is quite the charlatan.

April 17, 2013
Prophet T. B. Joshua reportedly predicted Boston explosions [WATCH]

TB Joshua predicted the Boston bombings before they happened, and the shocking part of the prophecy was its accuracy, only if someone could pass Prophet Joshua’s message across to the necessary authorities.

May 20, 2013
Ghana stampede kills four at TB Joshua's church

Thousands of people flocked to the evangelical church for "holy water", which they believed had healing powers, leading to the crush.

August 15, 2014
This Guy Sent Sierra Leone 4,000 Bottles of Holy Water to Cure Ebola

To help the West African country fight the escalating Ebola crisis, Nigerian Christian preacher Temitope Joshua says he has sent the Sierra Leone government 4,000 bottles of his patented holy anointed water and $50,000 in cash in a private jet, which also cost $50,000 to charter.

September 17, 2014
Ill South Africans flock to Lagos ‘prophet’

South Africans have been flocking to The Synagogue, Church of All Nations, in Lagos, for many years, hoping for miracle cures from its pastor, the self-styled faith healer and prophet TB Joshua, for anything from smoking and drinking to Aids and cancer.

So this comes as a bit of a surprise considering the power and influence he wields and the concern that many of these high profile preachers are immune to prosecution.

T.B. Joshua, the self-styled prophet and miracle worker who has an estimated wealth of $10-million to $15-million (U.S.), has been officially summoned to attend the inquest in Lagos, where 116 people were killed in the dormitory collapse on his church compound in September. So far, however, he has refused to show up.

Experts at the inquest have rejected Mr. Joshua’s claims that the collapse was caused by an attack from a terrorist airplane. They say the church had been adding extra floors to the guesthouse – without obtaining a permit or strengthening its foundation – when the building collapsed.

The disaster has heightened concerns about the vast wealth and political power of Africa’s popular Christian televangelists, who seem almost immune to prosecution. Among Mr. Joshua’s loyal followers are many African presidents, prime ministers and other leading politicians. He preaches to crowds of 15,000 people and claims to have foreseen celebrity deaths and airplane crashes.

Mr. Joshua, who has a huge following in South Africa, placed a quarter-page advertisement in a South African newspaper on Sunday, offering condolences to the victims, whom he called “martyrs of the Kingdom of God.”

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He has never retracted his claim that the building collapse was somehow caused by an airplane that passed above the building a few minutes before the disaster. But testimony at the inquest revealed that there were no signs of an explosion or flames anywhere in the building or in the bodies of the victims.

Fatal church collapse in Nigeria raises concerns over Christian televangelist - The Globe and Mail

‘Cultism’ sticks in clerics’ throats - Gauteng | IOL News | IOL.co.za

You may remember my post about Lesego here. Although I "applaud" the "efforts" of the Greater Vaal Pastoral Forum, it is as one comment says, "[t]he insane calling the insane, insane."

A video showing Pastor Lesego Daniel, of the Rabboni Centre Ministries in Ga-Rankuwa, urging congregants to drink what he says is petrol and tastes sweet, like pineapple or a cold drink, has gone viral on YouTube.

The outraged Greater Vaal Pastoral Forum has called on church leaders to stand up and defend the Christian faith.

“The reports about church congregants in Ga-Rankuwa being made to drink petrol, after they were recently encouraged to eat grass, points to the growing problem of religious cultism masquerading as Christianity,” said Bishop Vincent Jones, chairman of the forum.

“The cultists, who falsely claim to be intermediaries between the faithful and God, and often indulge in harmful practices and profiteering, alienate God’s people.

“They bring the wider church community into disrepute and hinder its spiritual mission.”

Jones said the forum wanted to restore accountability and rekindle the spirit of fatherhood in the church by educating people and encouraging the discernment of such practices.

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In the YouTube video, members of Daniel’s congregation are seen clamouring to drink the petrol, while the pastor encourages them and preaches.

Jones said such “unseemly acts, coupled with the pervasive crass commercialisation of the Gospel, impact negatively on the Christian faith”.

He said disunity among church leaders and the lack of accountability of some of them were responsible for the rise in “harmful cultism” .

“It’s also desperation – there is high level of desperation due to the socio-economic situation in our country.

“People are seeking answers to poverty, unemployment and sickness, to redress their situation. It’s a tragedy when they find desperate pastors who give them theological misrepresentation.”



‘Cultism’ sticks in clerics’ throats - Gauteng | IOL News | IOL.co.za

Dr. Kobus Jonker: God’s Detective | VICE | United States

Initially it was this short piece which sent me down the rabbit hole.

Being called on to investigate noises after dark is all part of a policeman's lot, but some officers are specially trained to look into things that really do go bump in the night, according to Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko.
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In a written parliamentary reply on Tuesday, Nhleko said there were 40 detectives within the SA Police Service who had "received additional training relating to occult-related crimes".

These included activities, spiritual practises, or rituals "which draw on forces hidden from normal human senses, beyond the obvious physical realm" and which led to criminal activities that broke the country's laws.,,

Investigations in this category included muti-related offences, the illegal initiation industry, dangerous cult movements, and protecting people persecuted due to their alternative belief systems.

Attempting to find more information, I discovered this,,,

On the southern tip of the Dark Continent traditional healers have always been a part of black African culture. As a consequence we are balls deep in medicine men, or sangomas. For the most part these sangomas are legit herbalists who prepare their muti from herbs, roots and animal parts. There are however a number of bad sangomas, known as baloyi, which are more like dark wizards. The baloyi’s muti requires more bang; the kind of bang that only human flesh can provide. In addition to the baloyi chopping off penises and hands like Ed Gein on speed, there are a number of Satanic cults who are always on the lookout for virgins or cats or babies to sacrifice. Let’s face facts: South Africa needs a hero who can save our nation’s private parts"me from being ground up into health shakes, and our pets from being violated in the most grueseome manner imaginable.

Enter Dr. Kobus Jonker, a relatively short man with a 70s dad beard and a calm, friendly demeanor. His office is covered with collectibles, books and stuffed animals, calling to mind the office of Dr. Mureau. Dr. Jonker headed the South African Police Force’s ‘Occult-Related Crime Unit’ until 2001 when he retired from the force after suffering a heart attack. It would appear that busting the devil’s chops takes its toll eventually. The unit has since been disbanded. Dr. Jonker is certain that it will be reinstated soon due to the large number of occult crimes that occur on a daily basis in South Africa. He now practices homeopathy and acts as a consultant to the police force on all things demon-related. I went to speak with Dr. Jonker about some of the cases he has been involved with and some of the crazy shit he has seen in his battle against the dark forces of evil.

Dr. Kobus Jonker: God’s Detective | VICE | United States

SA cops on the trail of zombies and witches

This is another article that appears to follow a re-current theme of late and may be likened or reminiscent of the "satanic panic" experienced here in the US.  As with other articles there seems to be a tendency to lump the occult with Paganism and Witchcraft calling it satanism and then throw in local religious beliefs and mythologies.  I think it is troublesome that in the 21st century we are still fighting against supernatural beliefs whether it be as a victim or perpetrator.
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Some call them the Ghost Busters. Other call them the X-Files. They’ve even been dubbed the Vampire Cops.

But for the Harmful Occult Related Crimes unit, their cases are every bit as real - and the victims every bit as violated - as any other.

Colonel Dr Attie Lamprecht’s job is to see beyond the tokoloshes, zombies, curses, muti and witchcraft to gather evidence that will stand up in court.

It’s also his job to know about new trends such as “more and more young people drinking each other’s blood”.

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“Satanism is not a crime,” he emphasised. It’s only if religious or spiritual beliefs result in a legally defined crime that his officers will make an arrest.

But every supernatural report has to be taken seriously.

“In certain parts of South Africa, if a person is identified as a witch… they will be killed, and sometimes their family too. In the northern parts of the country women seek shelter in police stations because they have been pointed out as a witch.”

SA cops on the trail of zombies and witches

Pastor's petrol performance may endanger congregation | The Citizen

This the same dude who instructed congregants to eat grass.

His attempt to demonstrate his “miraculous” power (filmed and made public) in front of the congregation involved one of the church members pouring petrol into a basin and igniting it to prove that it’s flammable (and therefore not juice).

After that, the first demonstrator sips the “juice,” after which members of the congregation came forward, some dancing and moving around frantically as they gesture to have some of the liquid from the bottle given to them.

The first demonstrator was asked by the pastor how he felt, and in response he coughed before saying: “It has lot of fumes but I don’t have any side effects.”

Daniel, holding the bottle, then gives several members a sip and asks them if it’s nice.

The service which was held on 31 August 2014, was recorded and uploaded onto YouTube this week, with a cautionary warning saying; “the level of anointing is not the same. If you cannot turn water into wine please do not try this.”

Wondering what he is so stridently trying to hide in his pocket at the 3:15 mark,,,hmm?

Pastor's petrol performance may endanger congregation | The Citizen