Fears Zwelitsha church could be Covid-19 superspreader

The Eastern Cape Council of Churches has called for church leaders to be responsible while Covid-19 indiscriminately kills people — with the province leading in the number of deaths.

The council’s Eastern Cape president, the Rev Lulama Ntshingwa was responding to a video and pictures of a Zwelitsha Methodist church leader and his congregation who were seen dancing without wearing masks.

“I call upon the clergy to save lives, and not do things the usual way. They need to take responsibility,” Ntshingwa said.

“Everyone must be careful as you don’t know who is positive and who is not. We need to keep safe.”

DispatchLIVE received pictures and videos of a Zwelitsha Methodist Church congregation, with several male members dancing without masks — including their presiding minister the  Rev Luxolo Mselana.

Unconfirmed reports say several people who attended the church had been admitted to hospital, with at least three people believed to have died from Covid-19 related complications.

When DispatchLIVE called the dancing Mselana, he refused to comment.

“I cannot comment on the matter as it must be done by the presiding bishop,” he said.

Pressed further if he was aware of any Covid-19 related deaths linked to the church services, Mselana said: “Rather say that you heard that there are people who died, because you don’t have proof of that.”

The Methodist Church’s district secretary, the Rev Thamsanqa Mdingi also refused to comment.

“I’m not the person responsible to speak to the media and unfortunately the one who is, is sick at the moment. I suggest you contact our presiding office in Johannesburg,” Mdingi said.

At the time of going to print, there was no response from the Methodist Church’s national officials though they had asked for the videos and pictures to be shared with them.

Ntshingwa said the council had issued guidelines, norms and standards which articulated how church services should be conducted and what churches should adhere to.

The country recently experienced several Covid-19 superspreader events such as the Ballito Rage Festival with hundreds of teens in attendance.

The ANC also held events in the province last month that later proved to be deadly.

Subsequently, many who attended these events tested positive for the virus.

Ntshingwa said Covid-19 survivors should be the champions of behavioural change.

Professor Salim Abdool Karim, infectious disease epidemiologist and co-chair of the SA Covid-19 ministerial advisory committee, said superspreading events could be disastrous.

“It is called the 80/20 rule because with infectious diseases such as Covid-19, a small proportion of people — roughly 20% — are responsible for 80% of all new infections.”

Abdool Karim said this 20% had a high exposure because they mingled with many people. — Additional reporting TimesLIVE

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