Controversial KZN Bishop wants govt compensation for churches’ ‘missed tithes’

Zionist Bishop Bheki Timothy Ngcobo, based in Durban, wants the government to compensate churches for the revenue they lost during the lockdown.

During an interview on Wednesday on radio 702, Ngcobo said churches should be compensated for the tithes and offerings they could not collect during the lockdown.

The bishop said some churches had lost their places of worship after falling behind on their rent.

Ngcobo, who is the chairperson of God’s Church Must Rise, said he was pleased with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on Tuesday that small religious gatherings would be allowed during Level 3 lockdown commencing on 1 June.

He extended his gratitude to the government for this decision, adding that he had been worried that the president had seemingly forgotten about churches when he announced on Sunday that the sale of alcohol would be permitted during Level 3.

“So we are so excited, although we still have a long way to go,” Ngcobo said, explaining that for the first time Ramaphosa categorised churches as essential services.

“And with that, all the essential services were open in Level 5 not in Level 3. So we are still going to challenge that in terms of compensating the church,” said Ngcobo.

The number of worshippers permitted to attend church, no more than 50 at a time, “is too low,” the bishop said.

“But it’s better than nothing because … we can also meet the government halfway,” Ngcobo said, adding that a compromise could be reached, though some churches had members numbering in the thousands, which would make managing the restriction of not more than 50 difficult to manage.

Ngcobo said he had supported the first 21 days of the lockdown so that people could be educated about the virus and preventative measure but that churches should have been classified as essential services after the first 21 days because this “is spiritual warfare, according to me”.

Ngcobo appeared in court recently for contravening lockdown regulations.

The bishop was previously slammed by religious leaders for his public opposition to Ramaphosa’s restrictions prohibiting gatherings of more than 100 people amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

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