Controversial pastor's ‘New Dawn' march stumbles as Buffalo City says he is not welcome
A crusade planned by controversial pastor Timothy Omotoso, acquitted on sexual assault and human trafficking charges earlier this month, has hit a snag. The mayor of Buffalo City, East London, has banned him from using any of the metro's properties for his services. Despite several attempts to obtain answers, the Department of Home Affairs still has not clarified on what basis Omotoso remains in South Africa.
Controversial pastor Timothy Omotoso, fresh from a seven-year stint in prison while his trial was ongoing, has promised a 'New Dawn crusade' in East London. His followers, who refer to him as being 'resurrected' and their 'daddy', have eagerly awaited his return.
However, Omotoso's plan has hit a snag with Buffalo City Mayor Princess Faku banning him from using any municipal properties for his services. The mayor's spokesperson, Bongani Fuzile, confirmed that the Orient Theatre booking, initially made for the crusade, would be cancelled.
This is not the first time Omotoso's church, the Jesus Dominion International church has stirred controversy. In 2020, while Omotoso was in custody, congregants openly posted on social media that they were gathering during the Covid-19 lockdown. Congregants were also sharing screengrabs from a WhatsApp group where they claimed to have been healed from ailments like drooling on their pillows, itchy nipples and sore throats. Some claimed that they received payments of R900 or found employment after they were prayed for at the church.
Judge Irma Schoeman in her ruling in which she acquitted Omotoso and his two co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho, of all the charges against them cited flaws in the prosecution's case, including almost no cross-examination challenging the versions of the accused as well as a lack of corroborating evidence led by the State.
Schoeman summarised the evidence of one of the complainants in the case against Omotoso. She was 30 and living in East London when she started going to his church.
'She returned from Cape Town on her mother's insistence as she struggled with an alcohol addiction. She had seen videos of Omotoso where he healed people. One such video was about a child that was born without an oesophagus who was miraculously healed after Omotoso prayed for him. This video was played at church services, and many of the other complainants testified about this as well. (The complainant) started a business baking and selling cakes, muffins and bunny chows. She attended crusades in other centres and in 2015, at a crusade in East London, she acted as an usher. She was standing at the back of the church when Omotoso walked towards her. He spoke to her and gave her his telephone number,' the judgment reads. Schoeman continued that at a subsequent crusade Omotso shouted at the complainant 'for not texting him'.
Destiny
'He told her that her destiny is at the mission house in Durban, and she should never offend him because he was God's favorite child and she must be obedient to (him) when she arrives at the mission house. She went to Durban after receiving money from Omotoso and upon arrival at the house she was shown a room where six other girls also stayed. She was taken to the bedroom of Omotoso and he said that there were girls inside the house that were satisfying themselves sexually with a shower, but it will never be the same as this, while pointing at his penis. In the lounge she saw Omotoso touching the girls' breasts, backsides and lifting their skirts; she was shocked and scared. Later that evening she was called to his room where he took her on his bed.'
Schoeman then described a subsequent alleged sexual assault on the complainant and how Omotoso prayed afterwards.
'He then said a prayer, 'Lord forgive us, wash us with the blood of Jesus, write our names in the book of life.''
Schoeman said that given the way the case was prosecuted and how Omotoso's version of events, which denied this, were not challenged it was impossible to find him guilty of these offences.
But now, East London's mayor Faku has said Omotoso is not welcome to use municipal buildings for his services.
Fuzile confirmed that none of the Buffalo City metro properties would be used for the 'New Dawn' crusade. The Orient Theatre was originally booked but Fuzile said the booking would be cancelled.
While there have been posts on social media saying that the municipality would face legal action over this decision, Fuzile said on Monday that they had not received anything from the church or Omotoso.
'Buffalo City Municipality has decided to cancel bookings at Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality's Orient Theatre hall made for a church crusade by Timothy Omotoso. The metro has stated clearly that all bookings made at municipal venues towards this event be cancelled and no single Buffalo City metro venue will be utilised for this church in all our three regions and villages. To combat Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), Buffalo City would not allow a person like Timothy Omotoso to hold his crusades in our city.
'The municipality is encouraged by the urgent call to revisit the court decision that acquitted Omotoso, who was charged with multiple counts of the rape of young girls in church, and allowing his church crusade in the municipality venue poses a risk to the safety of young girls in the city.
The municipality remains a committed force in building a society where women and children feel safe in their surroundings,' he said.
Omotoso and his followers had planned eight services and vigils from 4 May to 11 May 2025 in East London.
Six years ago, after his arrest, the Nelson Mandela Bay metro shut down Omotoso's previous religious venture, the Jesus Dominion International church in Gqeberha, following ongoing protests by members of the ANC Women's League. The reason for the shutdown was that the building was being used illegally.
Omotoso has not yet been reached for comment and none of the organisers of the crusade have yet responded to phone calls or WhatsApp messages. Nor has the Department of Home Affairs following questions sent last week.
Last week spokesperson Siya Qoza promised to revert with answers on Omotoso, but has still not done so. It remains unclear on what basis Omotoso is staying in South Africa.
He has previously been declared a prohibited person in South Africa, and the Department of Home Affairs refused to extend his work visa.
Qoza confirmed that the pastor had not been deported and said the department was reviewing his status in the country.
But according to a court order in possession of Daily Maverick, this should have been done at the latest by September 2024.
This ruling was made on 11 June 2024 and gave the Department of Home Affairs 30 days from the date of service of the ruling by the sheriff to decide whether to extend Omotoso's work visa.
Omotoso was refused a visa application on 14 September 2020 and subsequently declared a prohibited person in terms of section 29 of the Immigration Act, but went to court in February 2024, while his criminal trial was still ongoing, to have this set aside.
During this court case the Department of Home Affairs conceded that their decisions in the Omotoso case should be reviewed and set aside.
Omotoso's legal team argued that Home Affairs was refusing all his applications, that officials were assisting the National Prosecuting Authority to lay criminal charges against him, and that they were acting in bad faith.
At the time Judge Donovan Pitt had made this specific timeframe an order of court to 'ensure that home affairs perform their functions'.
Team bolstered
Last week National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga indicated that they had 'bolstered' their team to review and decide whether to appeal the Omotoso finding. He said they had added a senior counsel to the team.
Speaking earlier this month National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Shamila Batohi said this team was led by the Special Director of Public Prosecutions: Sexual Offences and Community Affairs Unit, together with two seasoned prosecutors from outside the Eastern Cape Division, supported by external junior and senior counsel to explore, in the immediate term, grounds to appeal against the judgment. But according to Mhaga, another senior counsel had been added to the team.
Batohi added that her team was also continuing the investigation into the conduct of the original team of prosecutors involved in the Omotoso matter.
'This investigation started in August 2024, with a view to identify, if necessary, disciplinary steps to be taken against persons involved. I have also established a second team led by the Special Director of Public Prosecutions: Sexual Offences and Community Affairs Unit and two prosecutors with extensive litigation experience to assess the performance of the prosecutors in the Omotoso matter in relation to case preparation, cross-examination techniques, and use of corroborating evidence, as raised by the trial judge,' she said. DM
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