Muni issues notice to stop church’s activities

POLOKWANE – Any person or group intending to establish a church must first apply to the municipality and get approval, but the request must comply with the town planning laws.

This was according to municipal spokesperson, Tidimalo Chuene after Westenburg residents in Tom Swartz Street took a stand against Zimbabwean church, Johane Masowe, saying it must go.

The church’s services are held in the veld on the Matlala road adjacent to Westenburg.

A resident who lives opposite the church said they were deprived of sleep by the church and their loud music.

“We cannot sleep late on a Sunday morning or take an afternoon nap, because they have a band and the music is very loud.

They start early in the morning and continue until late afternoon.

We tried chasing them away, but the churchgoers say they pay the councillor a fee for them to have their church there and they are not going anywhere,” the resident explained.

Ward councillor, Dorcas Madikoto, said she was aware of the residents complaints and had reported it to the municipal community services department.

“No money is being paid to me. The area where these people are holding their church services does not fall under my ward. I am ward councillor for ward 19 and that area falls under ward 8, but after residents brought this complaint to me, I reported the matter several times to the municipal community services, for these people to be removed,” Madikoto said.

Chuene said the municipality would send officials to investigate the matter further, whereafter the municipality would issue a notice to the church instructing it to stop its activities as they were deemed illegal.

“We will continue to educate residents about land use management in order to avoid engagement illegal activities.”