The editor of the East London-based Christian magazine, Let’s Praise, Ponko Masiba, is feared to be among the missing South Africans in Nigeria.
Masiba was in Nigeria when the hostel housing pilgrims to TB Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations (Scoan) collapsed.
Sidima is the second Eastern Cape resident confirmed to have died. The Dispatch reported that Thomas Matsila, a 44-year-old father from Queenstown, was confirmed to have died on Friday.
Two Eastern Cape residents are still missing.
The multi-storey hostel linked to controversial preacher and televangelist TB Joshua collapsed on September 12.
Yesterday afternoon it was confirmed that 265 South Africans had survived, 29 were still in hospital and the number of dead South Africans remained at 67.
The Scoan yesterday sent condolences to the families of the deceased.
In a statement published on their website, the Scoan said: “the church views this tragedy as part on an attack, particularly on prophet TB Joshua.
“This incident was preceded by the appearance of a strange aircraft which flew very low over the building, four times and then disappeared.”
Dubbed “The Prophet” by fanatical followers who believe he can predict the future, Joshua is politically well connected in Nigeria and beyond, counting presidents and prime ministers among his flock.
In 2012 the Mail&Guardian reported that TB Joshua had not only predicted the death of Africa’s kings, he had the ears of some of Africa’s top politicians.
It also reported that not every politician liked him.
President Jacob Zuma yesterday vowed his government would do all it could to help the families of the 67 South Africans believed to have been died.
Facing allegations that the government’s response to the tragedy had been tardy and inadequate, Zuma said he had appointed a ministerial task force to respond to it. “They will support families and do whatever is necessary to manage the impact of this tragedy,” he said.
An advance team of 10 disaster management personnel, including doctors, only flew to Lagos on Wednesday, when hopes of finding survivors had dimmed. — arethal@dispatch.co.za
EL editor among missing after Nigeria tragedy
Masiba was in Nigeria when the hostel housing pilgrims to TB Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations (Scoan) collapsed.
Sidima is the second Eastern Cape resident confirmed to have died. The Dispatch reported that Thomas Matsila, a 44-year-old father from Queenstown, was confirmed to have died on Friday.
Two Eastern Cape residents are still missing.
The multi-storey hostel linked to controversial preacher and televangelist TB Joshua collapsed on September 12.
Yesterday afternoon it was confirmed that 265 South Africans had survived, 29 were still in hospital and the number of dead South Africans remained at 67.
The Scoan yesterday sent condolences to the families of the deceased.
In a statement published on their website, the Scoan said: “the church views this tragedy as part on an attack, particularly on prophet TB Joshua.
“This incident was preceded by the appearance of a strange aircraft which flew very low over the building, four times and then disappeared.”
Dubbed “The Prophet” by fanatical followers who believe he can predict the future, Joshua is politically well connected in Nigeria and beyond, counting presidents and prime ministers among his flock.
In 2012 the Mail&Guardian reported that TB Joshua had not only predicted the death of Africa’s kings, he had the ears of some of Africa’s top politicians.
It also reported that not every politician liked him.
President Jacob Zuma yesterday vowed his government would do all it could to help the families of the 67 South Africans believed to have been died.
Facing allegations that the government’s response to the tragedy had been tardy and inadequate, Zuma said he had appointed a ministerial task force to respond to it. “They will support families and do whatever is necessary to manage the impact of this tragedy,” he said.
An advance team of 10 disaster management personnel, including doctors, only flew to Lagos on Wednesday, when hopes of finding survivors had dimmed. — arethal@dispatch.co.za
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