'Rolling mass action' planned against Shepherd Bushiri - Sanco

Sanco said despite a brief suspension of its demonstrations at the Shepherd Bushiri-led ECG church in Pretoria, the protests are set to be reignited. Picture: Oupa Mokoena African News Agency (ANA)

Sanco said despite a brief suspension of its demonstrations at the Shepherd Bushiri-led ECG church in Pretoria, the protests are set to be reignited. Picture: Oupa Mokoena African News Agency (ANA)

Published Jan 8, 2019

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Pretoria - The SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) on Tuesday said despite a brief suspension of its demonstrations at the Shepherd Bushiri-led Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church in Pretoria, the protests are set to be reignited in the coming weeks.

"Tomorrow, [on Wednesday] we are meeting the [Tshwane] Mayor's office, on Thursday we will be meeting the [national police] commissioner with our national structure of Sanco. We also have correspondence from Malawian churches who want to meet with us. It's going to be a busy Tshwane," Abram Mashishi, Sanco Tshwane regional chairperson spoke to journalists at the Pretoria Magistrate's Court.

"There is no need at the moment for demonstration. We will come with rolling mass action to make sure that our campaign is heard, and our demand that Bushiri must leave the country must be heard."

"Somewhere next week all the people of Tshwane will be mobilized to demonstrate our dissatisfaction and the way the police have handled our people," said Mashishi.

Three activists affiliated to Sanco, arrested for public violence at the ECG church were on Tuesday released on bail by the Pretoria Magistrate's Court.

The trio, who have not yet pleaded, were arrested on Sunday during a protest which shut down the usually busy WF Nkomo Street in Pretoria West, at the Pretoria showgrounds which is hired by the highly popular ECG church.

Prosecutor Michael Shivuri told Magistrate Mali Mokoena that the three men's identities and fixed addresses had been positively confirmed by the investigating officer of the South African Police Service.

The men are all South African, with no previous convictions and were deemed as not being flight risks. Shivuri said the State does not oppose their release on bail.

The trio's attorney, Vincent Shela added that his clients would pay bail, and present themselves at the next court appearance set for February 28.

The three were granted R500 bail each.

Three women were killed in an apparent stampede at the ECG church during a service on December 28. Nine other congregants were injured as they ran for shelter during a heavy rainstorm.

The three deceased women were identified as Patricia Pringane, Matshila Sarah Mohlala and Lehlogahlo Maria Segodi.

The Sanco protests began on Friday, with the community members calling for the ECG church to be expelled from the Pretoria venue.

African News Agency (ANA)

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