Four suspects were arrested after a group of panga-wielding men threatened teachers at a Katlehong school on Monday.
According to the Gauteng education department, in a series of alarming videos that have gone viral on social media, well-known South African religious leader Paseka “Pastor Mboro” Motsoeneng can be seen holding pangas and threatening to attack teachers on school grounds.
“Disturbingly, another man is seen grabbing two learners, who were caught in the crossfire of this violent ordeal, while another is wielding an assault rifle,” provincial education MEC Matome Chiloane said.
“This violent and appalling behaviour has no place in our schools or our society.”
According to the agency, a battle between two families over custody of the school’s boy students in Grades RR and 2, has been growing.
According to reports, the children’s mother died in April of this year, sparking a feud between the family’s paternal and maternal sides.
On Monday, the children’s father met with the principal.
According to the department, later in the day, the maternal grandmother, who is the alleged guardian of the children, met with the principal to report and inform him about a conflict that occurred during a meeting held over the weekend at the house of the paternal grandfather, a famous South African pastor.
“Following this, the deputy principal and some staff members refused to release the children without the grandmother’s permission. This led to the pastor arriving at the school with bodyguards and weapons,” the department said in a statement.
“The incident unfolded on Monday afternoon after school when the father of the children came to fetch them, accompanied by two men, one of them being the pastor — who was armed with two pangas while the other carried an assault rifle,” it said.
“Teachers, acting on the alleged instructions from the grandmother, tried to prevent the father from leaving the school premises with the children. In response, the pastor brandished a panga threateningly at the teachers, allowing the father to leave with the children.”
Gauteng police spokesperson, Colonel Noxolo Kweza, confirmed that the four are expected to appear in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court soon.
“They are facing a variety of charges including assault, handling a firearm recklessly that could endanger lives and property, rendering security services while not registered, malicious damage to property and intimidation,” she said.
Kweza stated that the replica firearm and pangas have subsequently been confiscated. One of the accused was arrested for attacking the Station Commander at Katlehong North police station while a crowd demanded that the local pastor be dealt with outside the station.
Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni, Gauteng provincial commissioner, says further arrests are possible as investigations continue.
