Warning for churchgoers in South Africa

Gauteng community safety MEC Faith Mazibuko has warned South African churchgoers that criminals see gatherings and churches as ‘soft targets’ for theft and robbery.

The warning comes amid a rise in criminal activity recorded at churches in the province, where phones and money have been robbed from congregants – with some cases ending in assault, kidnapping and murder.

According to the Sunday Times, leaders from over 1,500 churches in the province met with the MEC this week to raise their concerns.

Robbers attend services posing as worshippers before pulling out firearms and robbing congregants of their cellphones and wallets.

Churches are easy targets because attendees are focused on worshipping, view the buildings as sacrosanct, and often tithe in cash.

However, criminals have proven they have no qualms about trespassing on holy ground.

In one incident, a community elder was taken hostage and released later after a ransom was paid; in another incident, the robbers got frustrated at their low haul and shot attendees, leaving one dead.

Major incidents have been recorded from Boksburg to Rosettenville and Doornfontein, the paper said.

Churches have reportedly started cancelling evening services amid the rise in crime, and are turning to private security, CCTV setups and encouraging churchgoers to leave their cellphones and purses/wallets at home when attending services.

Members are also being encouraged to tithe via online payments and other digital means.

Rise in crime

While it appears as if churches are being specifically targetted, the rise in incidents is reflective of the worsening crime conditions in communities generally in South Africa.

The latest crime statistics for South Africa, covering the first quarter of the 2023/24 administrative year (April to June 2023) show that despite a dip in reported crimes generally, the number of violent crimes in South Africa – including assault, murder and attempted murder – have continued to rise.

Robberies with aggravating circumstances (where weapons are used and people are placed in harm’s way) have also increased.

Worryingly, the crime statistics are only the best reflection of reported crime in the country. Stats SA’s Victims of Crime Survey revealed that almost half of the crimes in the country go unreported – meaning the reality is far worse.

Criminals are becoming increasingly focused on specific groups and targets in South Africa as they continue to lay siege against communities.

Hijackers are finding it more lucrative to go after delivery drivers (on top of the specific easy-to-find vehicles they usually go for) – and incidences of kidnappings for ransom are spreading to lower-stakes targets.

In the former, security companies have warned that the rise of home deliveries in the country has made delivery drivers a prime target for not only what they have on their person (wallets, cellphones, cash), but also the packages they carry and the vehicles themselves.

Regarding the latter, kidnappers are finding it easier to go after ‘easier’ targets like university students or low-income earners who won’t garner media attention for smaller ransoms. Private security firms have warned that kidnapping is escalating in the country.

With churches now in the mix as well, the places South Africans go to seek shelter from the onslaught of criminal activity and violence is diminishing.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, Mazibuko suggested that churches work with community policing forums to protect the areas where worshippers congregate. She also said that congregants should get to know each other so that they can better identify any potential criminals who may be looking to infiltrate communities.

Read: Hijackers have a new target in South Africa