I recently came across a story that left me both shocked and reflective.
The preacher allegedly took it upon himself to exact punishment in a manner harking back to a barbaric interpretation of justice.
On one hand, the story revolves around Dumisani Mahlangu, a man whose life was altered by a heinous act of vigilante justice. On another, it involves a pastor from Soteria Ministries International in Kwa-Guqa, Emalahleni, who mistook the ancient code of "an eye for an eye" to its most brutal and literal extreme.
Dumisani Mahlangu stands today with only stumps where his hands once were. His life has been forever changed, not by an accident or disease, but by the (alleged) deliberate actions of Pastor Solomon Mhlanga. Accused of stealing electrical wires and metal scrap from the church, Dumisani was not handed over to the police or dealt with in a manner befitting a lawful society.
The details of this incident are chilling. After being accused of theft, Dumisani was assaulted at the church. Despite his pleas for mercy, he was taken to a secluded area in Kromdraai where Pastor Solomon, his wife Poppy, and their son Enoch allegedly chopped off his hands.
Dumisani's desperate request to be spared at least one hand was met with cold indifference. The preacher reportedly stated that this brutal act was a message to others about the consequences of stealing from him.
This gruesome punishment was not an isolated incident. Residents near the church have reported other instances of severe assaults carried out by church congregants, (allegedly) always under the shadow of Pastor Solomon's approval. One man was beaten, stripped naked, and had his fingers smashed with a hammer, all while being threatened with a gun. The community's response to these acts has been divided, with some suggesting that the church be torched in retaliation, while others, astonishingly, believed that such harsh measures were deserved - an eye for an eye.
Dumisani’s reaction to his ordeal is one of deep-seated resentment. "I have not forgiven him, I will not forgive him, and I will die having not forgiven him," he declared outside the church. His words resonate with betrayal and injustice. Being near the church of the preacher who chopped off his hands with a panga is unbearable for him. The pastor's actions have destroyed Dumisani, leaving scars far deeper than the physical stumps he now bears.
The legal proceedings against Pastor Solomon, his wife, and their son are ongoing. Charged with kidnapping and attempted murder, the family is currently out on bail, awaiting further court dates. The justice system will hopefully deliver a verdict that reflects the severity of their actions, though it can never truly undo the damage inflicted on Dumisani - taking the law into their own hands by dispossessing him of his.
Pastor Solomon's (alleged) actions did not bring about justice; they only perpetuated suffering and exemplified a gross misuse of power. He and his son are out on R5000 bail each while Poppy, his wife, is out on a warning.
Saturday Star