Bisho - South African Pentecostal Bishops Council, the Church Leaders Council of South Africa, Eastern Cape Council of Churches and Immanuel University of Theology has condemned the use of church buildings to smuggle drugs.
This comes after recent reports that police have arrested Bishop Nobango Tompson from the St Johns Apostolic Church in the Eastern Cape for allegedly selling drugs at her church.
Tompson was found with 36 quarter-Mandrax, 15 half-Mandrax, 6 full boss tablets, 161 Dagga bompies, 15 tik sachets, 9 dagga arms seized, 75 counterfeit CDs, 13 rizzla papers and R53.60 in her church house where she resided.
Police received the information through a tip-off and a search warrant was obtained from Zwelitsha Magistrate Court.
The organisations has also lamented the use and involvement of church leaders in drug trafficking.
“This behavior of highjacking churches for these types of activities is becoming a social time bomb,” said president of Church Leaders Council of South Africa, Bhekimpi Mchunu.
SA Bishops Council President, Professor Mbulelo Dyasi called for urgent intervention. “It is high time to isolate criminals who are using churches to conduct criminal acts, including trafficking of drugs and exploitation of young people,” said Dyasi.
Religious leaders and communities are urged to be vigilant because drug dealers are allegedly using church accounts to avoid tax and law enforcement agencies.