Times Of Swaziland: ARMED COPS' PRESENCE DISRUPTS CHURCH SERVICE

ARMED COPS' PRESENCE DISRUPTS CHURCH SERVICE
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Sibusiso Shange on 06/03/2025 08:15:00


MBABANE- In an unsettling turn of events, Melusi Simelane expressed discontent
regarding the deployment of armed police officers at the Africa Evangelical
Church’s (AEC) Mbabane Branch.
He said since February 4, 2024, he and the worshippers have found it challenging
to engage in their spiritual practices with visible firearms on the officers’
waists.
Simelane expressed his discontent at the Peace Binding Court, where he was cited
by Pastor Sabelo Dube as a respondent alongside Anson Zwane, Pastor RS Maseko,
Sipho Mhlanga and Mango Mavongo.
During court proceedings, Dube voiced concerns over frequent disruptions to
church services. Dube testified that these interruptions often involved the
respondents entering the church with both local and external members.
After experiencing four disruptions, he said they reported the situation to the
Mbabane Police Station commander, leading to police deployment. Dube highlighted
the volatility of the situation, recalling a recent incident on February 1,
2025, during which a wedding was interrupted.
Intentions
Dube articulated a palpable sense of danger for congregants, unsure of the
intentions of those invading the church. Furthermore, he alleged that
respondents had manhandled church members during these disturbances.
Contrarily, Simelane, speaking after Zwane, rebuffed Dube’s claims, accusing
him of entering the courtroom with ‘dirty hands,’ alluding to Dube’s
alleged disregard for court orders. He contended that the police’s presence
would not have been necessary if Dube had adhered to legal directives.
Simelane referenced a recent incident, where an executive meeting clashed with a
wedding at the same venue, asserting that Dube had defied a High Court order
that allowed the meeting to proceed. “Dube attempted to halt the executive
meeting at the High Court, but the judge clarified that he lacked the standing
to impose such a ban. Undeterred, Dube locked himself inside the church despite
the order permitting the meeting,” he stated.
Surprisingly, Simelane observed that Dube failed to mention having locked the
church’s main door or employing security guards to manage the executive’s
entry, instead focusing on complaints about padlocks being cut. “Dube is quick
to report to the court about the padlocks, yet omits the context,” Simelane
noted.
Zwane, the Executive Secretary, contended that Dube lacked jurisdiction to bring
the executive to court, noting that the church is governed by a Constitution,
which mandates Dube’s accountability to the executive body. He expressed
astonishment at being named in the court papers, asserting that no prior reports
of service disruptions had been made by Dube to the executive. He viewed
Dube’s actions as indicative of a disregard for the established church
hierarchy.