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TB Joshua

JOHANNESBURG — Pastor TB Joshua has told the families of those who lost their loved ones when a guesthouse collapsed in Nigeria, exactly a year ago today, that their death was unavoidable. One hundred and sixteen people died when the guesthouse belonging to Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed, most of them South Africans.

Joshua, who has not been in the public space for several months now, says he is praying and mourning with the families. Church goers, friends and relatives of those who died when the building collapsed have gathered in Midrand for a special remembrance event. Wiseman Racine read out a message on behalf of the pastor, “For those of us here who find it difficult to let it go, we must realise that their death is an unavoidable call, to our Heavenly home that no one can disobey.”

In his message Joshua also said, “We’re members of a family, the family of God. Consequently for an occasion like this one, God should be the invitee.” Those who survived the tragedy are also expected to reflect on their year long journey. Family and survivors of the Nigerian building collapse have hailed Pastor Joshua as the “man of god” and their “father”.

Veronica Mathebula lost her husband in the tragedy but says after Joshua’s message this morning she has peace about her husband’s death. “It’s ok I can let go now. Somehow I believe the prophet was talking to me so I’m fine.” The church maintains it can’t be held liable for the collapse and has urged the Nigerian authorities to give families answers.

The church still believes a plane which flew close to the building prior to the collapse, caused the tragedy. Two months ago, the Nigerian coroner ruled that the church must be investigated and prosecuted for negligence. The Synagogue Church of All Nations told Eyewitness News no explosives were used, but it believes some kind of infrasonic sound weapon was used to bring the guesthouse down.

Spokesperson Kirsten Nematandani said, “Those sounds are bombarded on the building, the building tended to resonate. In every structure there are atoms and once those atoms are excited, they begin to shake, and that’s how we concluded the building came down.” Infrasonic sound is a low frequency which humans can’t hear.

Nematandani said an inquiry set up to investigate what caused the building to cave in, didn’t even consider the scientific explanation. — Sapa