ARMED COPS' PRESENCE DISRUPTS CHURCH SERVICE

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.

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