The extra cost churches are forced to pay in South Africa

Churches continue to be the target of robberies in South Africa, and some are now forced to pay for private security companies to keep their contents and congregants safe, which is a concern as Easter approaches.

Churches in South Africa are increasingly becoming targets for criminals, with recent incidents highlighting the alarming trend. 

In March, thieves struck the World Changers International Church in Roodepoort, stealing between R1.5 and R2 million of musical instruments. 

Despite existing security measures, including alarms and burglar bars, the criminals still managed to gain entry, demonstrating a high level of organisation.

This was not an isolated incident. Christ’s Reconciliation Centre in Edenvale suffered a similar break-in when R200,000 of equipment was stolen. 

Church leaders believe the same syndicate may be responsible for both robberies, and there are concerns that criminals are participating in church events to identify valuables that can be stolen.

Speaking to eNCA, Gauteng Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni confirmed the trend, noting that syndicates are actively targeting churches. 

According to Mthombeni, police operations have led to the arrest of several suspects following a shootout in Westdene. 

Three men were arrested at the scene, two were injured and placed under police guard in hospital, while one robber was killed in the gunfight. 

Mthombeni highlighted that among the six individuals implicated, only one was a South African citizen, while the rest were foreign nationals. 

The syndicate is believed to be linked to other cases across Gauteng, including in Edenvale, as they used a similar modus operandi and the same vehicle model, a Toyota Quantum.

While Mthombeni believes police have “cracked the whip” on this particular group, concerns remain about the safety of churches moving forward. 

This continuing trend of criminals targeting Churches has pushed those who can afford it to fork out additional funds to protect themselves and their members from these criminals.

Churches have to pay to stay safe

Anthonello Sibanda from World Changers Church International said the congregation has had to invest in private security measures to protect both church property and worshippers. 

“We have a security company that offers services to us,” Sibanda explained. “They are stationed outside during our service times, so we are confident that our congregants will be secured.”

However, these incidents have cast doubt over the sense of security at places of worship. Congregants expressed shock that churches, traditionally seen as safe havens, are now vulnerable to such violent crimes. 

Many believe that without consistent patrolling and increased visible policing around these institutions, churches will remain easy targets. 

This is a concern for many as the Easter holidays approach, as churches are preparing for large congregations.

This trend of targeting churches is not new to South Africa and was first flagged over the Easter period last year. 

Both religious leaders and organisations such as the Spiritual Crime Prevention Forum highlighted the general modus operandi and advised churches and their members to be vigilant when attending services—advice that remains for the upcoming Easter period. 

The Spiritual Crime Prevention Forum said that robbers also attend services posing as worshippers before pulling out firearms and robbing congregants of their cellphones and wallets.

The forum further noted that the rise in incidents is reflective of the worsening crime conditions in communities generally in South Africa.

It advised that adequate security measures include turning to private security and CCTV setups, as well as encouraging churchgoers to leave their cellphones and purses/wallets at home when attending services.

While the latest crime report from the South African Police Service (SAPS) for the third quarter of 2024 (October to December 2024) indicates a slight decline in contact crimes, the numbers are still alarming. 

The report highlighted a 1.6% decrease in contact crimes over the period, which includes offences such as assault, common robbery, and robbery with aggravating circumstances. However, there were still over 2,000 incidents recorded per day. 

The latter category, recorded at 35,030 cases, dropped by 13.1% compared to the previous quarter. Again, this is still concerning as it represents 389 incidents every day in South Africa. 

Robbery with aggravating circumstances includes crimes like carjackings, residential robberies, and attacks on non-residential premises, including places of worship.