Johannesburg - Controversial “prophet” Penuel Mnguni must be stopped before he does something disastrous; something that will shatter the country and leave many dead.
This was the stern warning by the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities on Tuesday after pictures surfaced of him driving over two people at a conference in Mpumalanga at the weekend.
The pictures have sent shock waves through social media and among officials.
“We cannot sit by and wait for the worst to happen. This nonsense must stop now,” said Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, chairwoman of the commission.
Mnguni, who gained notoriety for letting his congregants eat snakes and grass, among his controversial stunts, is the head of End Times Disciples Ministries.
In the Facebook pictures dated last Friday, Mnguni is seen driving over two people lying on the ground. The two are covered in light blankets and have a piece of cardboard over them.
“He commanded both of the members to sleep, followed by moving the car over them,” reads a post from the church’s page.
“The man of God then commanded them to wake up while the car was on top of their bodies. He asked them if they felt any pain and their response was 'We do not feel anything'.”
After he reversed off them, he told them to get up, and when they did, they danced and praised God, it was stated in the post.
There were other pictures posted showing the prophet climbing onto a speaker and then jumping onto congregants lying down. He also walked on the backs of some and hit others with chairs and other objects.
“As the prophet of God spoke God’s word, our master began performing it. This son of God on the floor was hit by a chair but yet felt no pain,” read another post.
Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said Mnguni had too much control over the minds and bodies of his “disciples”. He could order them to do anything as extreme as strapping bombs to themselves and blowing up malls, she said. All of these stunts were highly disturbing, she added.
She said people were desperate and therefore clung to anything that promised them hope.
“They are poor. Their children are unemployed, and when they have tried and failed to improve their lives, the pastor promises them miracles. “He is exploiting them,” she added.
Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said the big question was what else would he be asking them to do. “How far would he be willing to push the boundaries and test his strength?
“When a person can do this, it presents a very scary situation.”
Mnguni’s latest stunt only confirmed how harmful his practice was. The commission had warned him, but he clearly wanted more attention, she added.
“We are now approaching the Equality Court to verify if he can abuse the religious beliefs of the people,” Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said.
There was alos an outcry on Twitter following Mnguni's latest stunt.
Moronic. A dude, random, tells u to drink petrol and u do. Then asks to use u as tarmac and U let HIM. Idiots pic.twitter.com/aYlGOe1z4W
— #Stop Albino killing (@kuliroberts) June 8, 2016
@CRL_Commission When will these things get addressed?? #penuelmnguni pic.twitter.com/E9267NWiFu
— Olerato (@Olerato19) June 7, 2016
Fighters,we must find this evil thing called Penuel Mnguni & deal with him.He can't brutalise our people perennially https://t.co/KeOy3XeKCd
— Moraswi A Phaahla (@a_phaahla) June 7, 2016
Mnguni has been dogged by controversy since he made his debut feeding Soshanguve, Tshwane, congregants fish and rats and encouraging them to eat hair weaves.
He presented a defiant front when summoned by the commission. He disappeared for a long time before eventually surfacing and telling the commission he was anointed by God to do what he did.
The 24-year-old also disappeared from the religious scene for several months after Soshanguve residents sent him packing.
The Star