BLOCK C - Gloves are off between members of the Block C branch of the Holiness Union Church and the Komatipoort circuit committee. This after the circuit committee had allegedly suspended the branch’s pastor. It is alleged that the circuit committee had suspended Pastor Paul Khoza (33) without the consent of the branch executive committee.

At the centre of the pastor’s suspension is his acceptance of a temporary employment at Komatipoort’s Weigh Bridge as a scale master. According to the circuit committee this is unacceptable even though there is no clear contract spelling out the pastor’s terms of employment with the church.

Not only has the young pastor been suspended; he has also lost the reason for holding down the temporary employment as well. His fiancée passed away on the same day there was a meeting at the church to discuss his situation. “I had sought for temporary employment just to augment my stipend so that I could pay lobola for my fiancée. It never interfered with my work at the church and I am still shocked at their decision. I am also perturbed by my fiancée’s passing away at a time when I thought everything was shaping up. She is gone and I can only trust God for comfort,” said the grieving pastor.

One church elder who wished to remain anonymous has condemned the decision of the circuit committee, almost accusing its members of being high-handed. “I am particularly disturbed by the committee’s lack of transparency. They indicated that they are suspending the pastor for securing employment and for other things. What are these other things they are not revealing? If they have a vendetta against the young man they need to come out in the open and say so because suspending a person is done when that person has sinned and that is not the case here,” he said.

Most of the church members interviewed were reluctant to respond for fear of reprisal. Some preferred to speak on condition of anonymity. There is a school of though that suggests that tensions had always been simmering between the church and the circuit committee. Church members are said to be not happy about financial administration. As matters stand, all monies collected in the church are handed over to the circuit committee which then pays all pastors in the circuit. The Block C branch is said to be pushing for autonomy wherein they would take control of their finances and probably pay their pastor what he is worth. Khoza’s acceptance of a temporary employment was, therefore, viewed with hostility by the circuit committee as it exposed their lack of concern for their ministers, the school of thought continues. Suspending the pastor was, in fact, sending a strong message to others that the circuit committee would not tolerate dissent.

Besides pointing out that there was communication between his committee and the branch, the chairperson of the circuit committee, Robert Zitha, could also not be drawn to comment further. He indicated that he had no mandate to talk to the media on the issue. However, he promised to grant this newspaper an interview as soon as he would have received a mandate from his committee.