Bushiri wants to reach out to family of stampede victim

Shepherd Bushiri’s church, the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG), has asked the CRL Rights Commission to facilitate talks with the family of one of three women killed in a stampede at the church on December 28.

“We have met two of the families. We are still banking on the CRL [Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities] to assist us in breaking the deadlock between the one remaining family and we hope the CRL will assist with Sanco [SA National Civic Organisation],” the church’s spokesperson Maynard Manyowa.

He was speaking at the release of the CRL Commission's report on the stampede .

It was caused by people pushing through the door of a hall during a heavy storm, according to the church.

In its report, the CRL Commission recommended that the church find a suitable church to accommodate its congregants.

It found that the call by Sanco for Bushiri to leave the country and for his church to close down to be discriminatory and unwarranted.

“We are studying the report and are analysing it in detail and great length,” Manyowa said.

He said the church was talking to the families of the people killed regarding a compensation package.

Manyowa said the church would also discuss with the CRL Commission whether to compensate those who had been injured in the stampede.

“Our hearts still bleed for the members that we lost in our church and we are still in a period of mourning. We hope and anticipate that we will be able to hold a memorial service and give them a befitting send off.”

The church will hold its first service this year on Sunday.