Mbhoro now fears for his life
The founder and leader of the Incredible Happenings Ministries, Paseka Motsoeneng, aka Mbhoro, says he now fears for his life following a recent peace-initiative church service aimed at quelling violence between local residents and foreign spaza-shop traders in the township.
The self-styled controversial prophet called the offices of Kathorus MAIL late at night on Tuesday, April 19, and spoke of threats to his life by people he claimed were against his efforts to bring an end to the ongoing violence between locals and foreign traders, many of them Bangladeshi, Pakistanis, Ethiopians and Somalis trading in the Katlehong area.
“Your newspaper has landed me in trouble with certain elements of the community leadership who seem opposed to my efforts to bring peace between the local community and foreign traders,” said Mbhoro during his frantic late-night telephone call. He went on to give the name of a known community leader, whom he said wants him to abort his efforts to normalise relations between the locals and foreigners.
Mbhoro said the leader was now baying for his blood and calling for the boycott and expulsion of foreign traders from the townships. He said the community leader (whose name is known to Kathorus MAIL) was inciting communities in some parts of Katlehong, Nhlapho, Shongweni, Moshoeshoe Sections and the Mandela Park informal settlement, west of Katlehong, to expel foreigners in Katlehong and other parts of Kathorus.
“I do not think it is right for him to single out Pakistanis, Bangladeshi, Ethiopians and Somalis to be kicked out of the informal shops they rent from local residents in the townships. If people are against African foreigners in the townships, then all foreigners in South Africa will have to leave. We cannot be against foreigners simply because they are not of European origin, and allow others to stay,” argued Mbhoro.
Mbhoro said he also believes there are clandestine efforts by the same leadership to rally the youth against his church and his attempts to bring peace between locals and foreign traders. “My fear is that if this is successful, I and my followers could be killed for being peacemakers in Katlehong and the xenophobic killings could plunge the area into turmoil once again,” Mbhoro said.
Approached for comment, SAPS spokesperson Captain Mega Ndobe urged Mbhoro to lay a charge against the leader. “We are aware of the person mentioned and the serious threats he is alleged to have made to Pastor Mbhoro about foreigners. I would like to urge Mbhoro to lay a criminal charge against the person so that the police can investigate these allegations,” said Capt. Ndobe.
