The Johannesburg metro police officer who was assaulted by churchgoers on Sunday has told of how he saw his life flashing before his eyes.

The officer, who was still traumatised to speak to the media and instead related his story through metro police spokeswoman Edna Mamonyane, said he thought he was going to die.

Siphiwe Sebati came under attack when he removed illegally parked vehicles belonging to some members of the Revelation Church of God in Hillbrow. The video of the incident went viral on social media and has been met with outrage.

Two congregants have been arrested for robbery and assault after they dispossessed Sebati of his gun. Mamonyane told Sowetan yesterday that the officer, who was still in shock, was recovering at home with a swollen face.

"He said he thought he was going to die when the members started kicking him after they pushed him to the ground. He prayed to God to spare his life and after that it was lights out for him.

"Fortunately, drivers of the towing trucks alerted other officers who came to his rescue," Mamonyane said.

Mamonyane said earlier that Sebati had tried to scare the crowd by firing a warning shot for them to back off but this did not deter them.

"He told them that he was just doing his job because their cars had blocked the road, causing congestion."

She said some of the congregants went to the provincial commissioner's office in Parktown and claimed they have picked up a gun belonging to a metro police officer.

The incident did not come as a surprise to Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, the chairwoman of the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities.

She said her commission had submitted proposals to the National Assembly's cooperative governance and traditional affairs portfolio committee recommending the registration of religious practitioners and places of worship.

"They must have municipality by-law verification. It's a municipality that must say: 'yes, you can open a church here'. Before you are registered you must bring something ... that says you've been granted the permission to open a church there.

"If you look at [the church's owner Samuel] Radebe's church, for instance, Wolmarans Street on Sundays has become something else. People spill outside in the street.

"The question will be: 'what has the municipality been doing all along?'" she asked.

Prophet Radebe, who is also known as Samuel Mbiza, is a controversial figure. He took the commission to the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to reverse its 2015 notice summoning him to appear before it during its probe of the commercialisation of religion. The court dismissed his application in August.

In November last year, the Sunday Times reported that the church's guards violently evicted occupants of a derelict mansion near Ponte City, using sledge hammers and guns.

Richard Mdakane, who chairs the National Assembly's cooperative governance and traditional affairs portfolio committee, urged municipalities to enforce by-laws.

Revelation of God Church spokesperson Thembi Tulwana said the church condemns what happened on Sunday, adding they were planning to have a meeting with representatives of the City of Johannesburg