Rumpus over ‘noisy’ church

GUGU MBONAMBI

The EThekwini Community Church in Durban’s Albert Park is facing mounting pressure to move, but it appears locals will have to put up with the tent housing its services for several more months.

This emerged yesterday during a heated confrontation between the church’s flamboyant pastor, Vusi Dube, and DA caucus leader Tex Collins.

Dube, an ANC MPL in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature and a staunch supporter of President Jacob Zuma, arrived at the church after Collins had completed an inspection of the area.

Collins had visited the tent after receiving complaints from Albert Park residents about noise from the church and other problems.

The Mercury then witnessed an intense debate between Collins and Dube, who arrived minutes after the DA councillor.

“Your church must go. As an MPL, you should know better because you are contravening numerous by-laws. Who is paying for your electricity and water?” Collins asked.

Dube responded that Collins was not speaking on behalf of Albert Park residents or Durban residents and that his actions were part of his political campaign.

“Why did you come here, what is your problem? You are not here for residents; you are here to fight your DA wars,” he said.

Collins accused Dube of using council resources, including electricity and water, without paying.

“The church services go on until 12am. His church is a nuisance and it must move. Dube should apply (for permission) and build a proper church.

“He has been operating with complete impunity for over three years and the only conclusion that can be drawn is that the EThekwini Community Church is the beneficiary of political patronage,” he said.

However, Dube, who has seven branches of his church in KZN, with a congregation of about 15 000 members, said he had been at the park since 2008 and had a “short term” lease with the municipality, which had been extended for six months.

“No complaints have been addressed to me… and we have never had services going on until 12am. We have an agreement with the municipality and we don’t use its services for free. A tent is not where I want to worship and we are working to buy either land or a building, and all these things must go through the necessary council processes,” he said.

Dube said his church existed to serve the community, including counselling ex-convicts, prostitutes and HIV-positive people.

Ward councillor Vusi Khoza said he had been calling for the church to be moved for the past three years after Albert Park residents had signed a petition for its removal.

“The church is in a tent and it is not soundproof. After residents complained, I was assured last year by city manager Mike Sutcliffe that the church would be gone by the end of December (2010),” he said.

“Sutcliffe needs to answer for why the church is still allowed to operate from Albert Park. The park is a public place and should not be monopolised by one group of people. He (Sutcliffe) imposed the church on the people of Albert Park without consulting me,” he said.

Collins and Khoza said their understanding was that Dube’s tent had been moved from Centrum Park (behind The Workshop) to Albert Park as a temporary measure. However, the municipal head of parks, recreation, cemeteries and culture, Thembinkosi Ngcobo, says in an e-mail to Collins dated January 14: “I have been given to understand that Pastor Dube’s occupation of that park has been extended for five months. He is then expected to leave either before or at the end of that period…”

Yesterday Ngcobo said there had been ongoing talks and a solution was imminent.

“At this point there hasn’t been any conclusive (lease) agreement, but the various municipal departments should present a report soon,” he said.

The Mercury was unable to reach Sutcliffe for comment.