Diepsloot Congregation Fractured by Murder of Pastor During Prayer Service, Worshipers Fear Attending Church

• A pastor at a Diepsloot church died begging for the lives of his congregants during a robbery at his church
• The traumatised congregation can't find it within themselves to attend church services out of fear for their lives
• The incident that claimed the life of Pastor Vincent Skhakhane was the third in a string of robberies at the church

DIEPSLOOT - The Holiness Christian Revival Ministries is still reeling from the murder of the congregation's pastor, Vincent Skhakhane.

Pastor Skhakhane was shot dead by thugs in front of his congregants in a robbery during a prayer meeting at the church on Friday, 14 October.

According to SowetanLIVE, the good pastor begged the robbers to take whatever they wanted but spare him and his congregation's lives. Regardles of Skhakhane's pleas, the thugs shot him in cold blood.

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The fatal robbery was the third incident in which the church had been targeted, but it was the first time someone lost their life. Now the perishioners fear attending church services out of concern for their safety.

Diepsloot senior Pastor Thulani Mzila, who mentored Pastor Skhakhane, was at the prayer service on the fateful day of the shooting.

Mzila said the once-active church could not host its services as members don't want to attend church because of the horrific shooting they witnessed. Mzila added that he could not hold the congregation's apreehension against them. Reminders of the shooting still linger as there was still blood in the building, Drum reported.

Though police cleared the crime scene for entry on Thrusday, 20 October, the church has been closed since the fatal incident. Pastor Mzila acknowledges that the blood needs to be cleaned and the church reopened, but members cannot bring themselves to go back in.

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Regarding bringing the killers to justice, Mzila said they had heard nothing about the case's progress since Police Minister Bheku Cele told the family that the murder was a provincial case.

According to SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, Gauteng police are searching for the five armed individuals who robbed the church and killed Pastor Skhakhane.

South Africans react to the fractured congregation

South Africans are still grappling to understand Pastor Skhakhane's murder.

Here are some reactions:

@ba_zeeman claimed:

"Innocent citizens are not protected in our country."

@MotswiriObakeng commented:

"So sad. "

@ZengFuey asked:

"Are rival churches organising hits on each other?"

@Isaac20968118 added:

"The same church was targeted three times, someone definitely did not like this church."

@MontjaMushi prayed:

"May God deliver swift justice to these angels of darkness."

Eastern Cape shootings: Eight people killed aond two others injured in two separate armed incidents

In another story, Briefly News reported that gun violence in the Eastern Cape claimed the lives of eight people and injured two aged between 18 and 40 years old.

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The victims were involved in two separate shooting incidents in Kwanobuhle on Thursday, 13 October.

The first incident occurred in Mabi street at around 11:45 am, where six unidentified men were shot multiple times. According to News24, five victims died due to their gunshot wounds, while one was transported to the hospital.

Source: Briefly News