http://www.capetimes.co.za/?fSectionId=&fArticleId=iol1263460959954C622

Churches of the poor demolished
14 January 2010, 11:38
Several churches in a poor Cape Flats suburb fell to the ground on Wednesday.

Law enforcement officers say the houses of God had to come down because they are no longer being used for worship.

A group of workers from the Anti-Land Invasion Unit, led by Petrus van Wyk, broke down the three shack churches while law enforcement officers stood ready with shotguns.

They also broke down various other structures that were erected on pavements or stood empty.

Van Wyk said occupants of the structures in Wallacedene, Kraaifontein, had received a notice warning them to break it down because it was illegally built on council property.

“Some of the illegal structures were used as shops or churches and stood empty for some time while others were built on pavements,” he said.

“There are three more churches that were illegally built on council land but it will not be broken down because they are being used.”

However, residents said the African Native Mission Church had not been used during the festive season because the parishioners were in the Eastern Cape for the holidays.

The church went down in a cloud of dust over its meagre furnishings that included three chairs and a large table.

Bongi Benyana, 29, was horrified to see his church in ruins.

“It is sad to see the church broken down after we took so long to build it because we had no money for materials,” he says.

“Now they will come here on Sunday to find that our church has been broken down.”

Albert Mbuku, 49, fears criminals will use the field where the churches used to stand to attack people and store stolen goods.

“Before the churches were built, the tsotsis attacked people in the bushes on the field and they hid their stolen goods there,” Albert says.

But he says he is glad that the other three half-built shacks were broken down. – Daily Voice