Congregants at the Rivers of Living Waters Church in Evaton attended a church service amid a strong police presence on Wednesday.
Police struggled for a second day to prevent residents torching the church, which is at the centre of witchcraft and Satanism allegations.
Journalists and some of the police officers working to contain the situation were trapped in the area for some time as temperatures in the crowd rose.
During the service, police surrounded the church, and heavily armed private security men kept watch from the church balcony.
Out in the streets around the church, police were engaged in cat-and-mouse games with angry protesters throwing rocks, bottles and petrol bombs at Nyala armoured vehicles.
More than 1 000, mostly young protesters were warded off from attacking the church by the police, who fired rubber bullets.
A plainclothed officer was seen firing live ammunition as protesters tried a three-pronged attack.
As they left the huge church, congregants were greeted by flying rocks.
Apprehensive women hid behind a wall, looking through a palisade fence, as a throng of singing protesters seemed about to attack the church.
About two hours after the service, Bishop Stephen Zondo left in a blue-light private security car.
But most of his congregants were left trapped inside the yard, with all the roads out blocked by hundreds of protesters.
Journalists and those cops not in Nyalas were also trapped.
Protesters, who asked not to be named, said they wanted Zondo and his church to leave the area. They said “children were being used” by the church.
Residents said the protest started after some children spoke out on a community radio station about “acts of witchcraft and Satanism by (Zondo)”. - The Star