Pastor Mboro arrested for storming Gauteng School with pangas

A well-known Pastor Paseka “Mboro” Motsoeneng has been apprehended by police after he forcefully entered Matsediso Primary School in Katlehong, brandishing pangas and threatening teachers.

The dramatic incident, which unfolded on Monday, 5 August, was captured on video and quickly went viral on social media platforms.

The disturbing footage shows Pastor Mboro wielding two pangas, while another man, reportedly his bodyguard, was seen carrying an assault rifle.

The chaos erupted during an escalating custody dispute between two families over two young learners, enrolled in Grade R and Grade 2, following the death of their mother in April this year.

According to the Gauteng Department of Education, tensions had been rising between the paternal and maternal sides of the family. On the day of the incident, both the father of the children and their maternal grandmother had separate meetings with the school principal, each providing conflicting instructions regarding the custody of the children.

Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona detailed the sequence of events, explaining that the school’s Deputy Principal and staff refused to release the children to their father without the grandmother’s permission. This led to the arrival of Pastor Mboro, accompanied by armed bodyguards, in a bid to forcibly take the children.

“The incident unfolded on Monday afternoon after school when the father of the children came to fetch them, accompanied by two men, one of them being the pastor – who was armed with two pangas while the other carried an assault rifle. Teachers, acting on the alleged instructions from the grandmother, tried to prevent the father from leaving the school premises with the children. In response, the pastor brandished a panga threateningly at the teachers, allowing the father to leave with the children,” Mabona stated.

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane strongly condemned the incident, emphasizing that such violent behavior has no place in schools or society. “The safety and well-being of learners and educators are of utmost priority. Such acts of violence and intimidation not only undermine the foundation of our education system, but also have the potential to traumatize the entire school community, particularly given that this incident occurred in a primary school in full view of young children and their teachers.”

Chiloane assured the public that the department is committed to ensuring justice is served in this matter, stating, “We will not tolerate any acts of violence or intimidation and will take all necessary measures to protect our learners and educators.”