Pastors Against Church Closures have taken their crusade to the airport.
On Sunday the men of the cloth staged a motorcade to the Cape Town International Airport to demonstrate their frustration with the government’s decision to close places of worship during level 4 of lockdown.
In an address two weeks ago, President Cyril Ramaphosa implemented level 4 amid a third wave of Covid-19, which included a ban on gatherings.
This is the second time the pastors picketed; last week they closed a road in Nyanga, but they felt protesting at the airport would have more impact.
A group of about 30 Christians gathered on Mew Way before seven vehicles drove to the airport, where they hooted to draw attention to their mission.
But five minutes later security guards arrived and told them they were not allowed to do that.
The motorcade left and just outside Nyanga, they stopped to pray.
PACC Chairperson, Apostle Zongamele Baliso, says: “We are clear on the mandate, we want the president to keep the door of the churches open, with immediate effect, and not this open-and-shut he has been doing.
“We want to worship God freely, we don’t want limitations.
“We are clear about what the Bible says about praising God. And we are saying if businesses are operating then churches can too.”
Apostle Baliso tells the Daily Voice that the president never consulted them about the latest lockdown.
“We were never told prior to the closure, he consulted a selected few,” Baliso explains.
“He spoke to those who favour the government.”
He says they targeted the airport because it is a national keypoint: “We knew that we were going to a busy place and we are part of this country, we can go anywhere we want.
“The airports are running smoothly without any hindrances and just last week I was in a flight and there was no social distancing and the government wants to tell us that the churches are super-spreaders.”
The PACC chairperson says it is not their fault Covid cases are increasing.
“We have proven beyond doubt that we are compliant, the numbers are not increased by the church.
“The churches are closed but the numbers have increased, so who is spreading the virus?”