Cape church split in two over race
Racial conflict at a church in Lakeside has split the congregation in two, with the dispute turning violent.
|||Cape Town - Racial conflict at the Riverview Church of Christ in Lakeside has split the congregation in two.
And the dispute turned violent last Sunday when white congregants tried to stop black and coloured worshippers from entering the church and holding their morning service.
In June, a court order declared that the two separate groups should worship at different times on Sunday – a group of about 45 black, coloured and foreign believers attending in the morning, with the white congregants meeting later in the afternoon.
But on Sunday, the white congregants allegedly broke the agreement and turned up in the morning.
“Since we worship in the mornings as the court order says, we don’t expect the other group to be there,” said church chairman, Tom Smith. “But last week when we got to church they were there preventing us from entering the building, and a scuffle began.”
According to preacher Honore Makembe, the dispute between the two groups began earlier this year when a group of white congregants allegedly sought a court order to ban black and coloured congregants from worshipping there.
“The group of white people that doesn’t want us at the church joined the church after us but now they don’t want us there,” said Makembe.
“As a result we have two congregations worshipping in different times on Sundays.”
Makembe claimed the group he represents has tried to settle the differences between the two groups and unite the congregation once more.
“We’ve been asking for a meeting with them so we can talk about the problem but they don’t want to.
“There’s no reason why they don’t want us there other than the colour of our skin,” he said.
Smith said the group of white congregants is racist. “They want us out of the church because of the colour of our skin, it’s a racist issue. They pointed out that pastor Makembe is a foreigner so they don’t want him there.”
The attorney representing Makembe’s group, Quinton Williams, confirmed the court order separating the groups had been breached on Sunday.
“There is a court order granted which says Makembe’s group must attend church in the mornings. But according to Makembe the other group breached the court order last week by trying to prevent them from entering the church.”
Stewart Becker, representing the opposing group, refused to comment on the issue “until it has been resolved” but confirmed there was a court order against his group.
Williams said the matter was before the Western Cape High Court.
kalipa.siyabonga@inl.co.za
Cape Argus