Chaos erupted at Matsediso Primary School in Ekurhuleni on Monday after controversial Pastor Paseka Mboro and his bodyguard were seen waving swords and a rifle at teachers.
Videos captured by teaching staff have gone viral on social media platforms, with some users calling on police to arrest Mboro.
https://x.com/nntombi_nkosi/status/1820476627803140369?s=12&t=oeMLeLVU-0aswZe6EmGwPA
The so-called man of God, also a resident of Katlehong, was wielding two pangas, telling teaching staff not to get near him, he was also heard uttering a few swear words.
“Come near me you will see,” shouted Mboro.
Mboro juggled between holding the two pangas and a cell phone, attempting to make a call while teaching staff recorded him via their cell phones.
Teachers and children were heard traumatised, one female was heard asking for her wig back.
In another video, teaching staff were heard pleading with Mboro to leave, he on the other hand was not having it, he wanted the children.
The Star has a recording from one of the community members, desperately asking the Ekurhuleni Thathazonke crime-fighting unit (TTZ)
“Greetings TTZ members who are near Matsediso Primary School, four vehicles came by, please,” said the community member.
TTZ confirmed to The Star that they went to the school but the case is being handled by SAPS.
A man according to a source is the father of the two learners, he was seen forcefully opening the burglar door and dragging them out of the school’s office
The learners were crying as the man picked them up, while Mboro remained at the back, he was threatening people with the swords telling them not to get close to them.
“The mother of the two learners recently passed on, the man who was with Mboro is their father. He wanted them but the school did not want to surrender them, they told him they wanted those registered as guardians to pick them up,” said a source.
Another source said Mboro and his bodyguards dashed away with the children and community members chased them.
“As we speak, Mboro is at the police station, police had been called and community members were angry following the incident, hence they chased him,” said the source
According to reports, the school principal went to the police station to open a case.
Katlehong SAPS said they cannot comment at this stage,
The Star is still waiting for an official comment from Gauteng Provincial spokesperson Lt Col Mavela Masondo who was made aware of the incident later in the day.
Pastor Mboro was contacted for comment, however, he did not pick up his cellphone.
The Gauteng Education, Sport, Arts, Culture & Recreation MEC Matome Chiloane vehemently condemned the reprehensible incident where three men violently threatened the livelihoods of teachers and learners.
According to a preliminary report, a conflict between two families over the custody of the boy learners enrolled at the school, in Grade RR and Grade 2, has been escalating. It is said that the mother of the children passed away in April this year, leading to a dispute between the paternal and maternal sides of the family.
The department said the father of the children had a meeting with the principal in the morning. Later in the day, the maternal grandmother, who is the alleged guardian of the children, also met with the principal as well to report and inform him about a conflict that occurred during a meeting held over the past weekend at the house of the paternal grandfather, who is the 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 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. 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.
The principal and school Governing Body (SGB), reported the matter to the police. The Child Protection Unit is set to mediate the situation.
The department said Psycho-Social Support will be deployed for the affected teachers and learners to help them cope with the trauma resulting from this incident.
“The safety and well-being of our learners and educators are of utmost priority. Such acts of violence and intimidation not only undermine the foundation of our education system but also have the potential to traumatise the entire school community, particularly given that this incident occurred in a primary school in full view of young children and their teachers. The Department is committed to ensuring that justice is served in this matter. We will not tolerate any acts of violence or intimidation and will take all necessary measures to protect our learners and educators,” said Chiloane.
This is a developing story.
The Star
ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za