The Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) in the North West condemned the heist of a church in Y100 Section Jouberton outside of Klerksdorp, which resulted in the theft of precious belongings from congregants.
This comes after reports surfaced on Thursday night that five unidentified gunmen broke into a church gathering. A movement led by civic society that advocates for the Charter of Positive Values, which includes moral and ethical leadership, called the heinous heist not only shameful but also a cruel act that has polluted the purity of both Good Friday and the Passover weekend.
Provincial police released a statement claiming that while a churchgoer was outside using his cellphone, suspects wearing balaclavas pointed guns at him and entered the building.
Following their command to lie down, the suspects searched the attendees and stole their money, handbags, and cell phones before making their getaway on foot.
Pastor Lesiba Kgwele, convenor of the Moral Regeneration Movement Provincial Interim Committee, stated that such opportunistic crimes that target congregations and other places of worship are endangering the constitutional right of congregants to freedom of assembly.
“Until the rapacious, ruthless gang is apprehended, nobody will be secure.
Kgwele emphasized, “As a result, we urge our people to support police who have initiated a manhunt in order to apprehend the robbers in their investigations.
He called for communities to band together in the spirit of Ubuntu to combat the gangsterism and cycle of violence that are pervasive in the area by taking back their activism and fostering and utilizing collective responsibility among communities.
“In order to restore the rule of law and residents’ confidence in the criminal justice system, the effort to tackle the scourge of gangsterism in Matlosana must be bolstered and a strong partnership with our communities established,” he said.
