A Cape Flats church has come under siege from tikkoppe and skelms who have stripped the building during the nationwide lockdown.
Congregants of the Methodist Church in Bonteheuwel fear a creché on the property will have to be closed as burglars have made large holes in the roof to steal the wiring and trashed the church hall.
Chairperson of the Men’s League, Vernon Rich says he was disheartened on Wednesday when he found that the temple had once again been burgled after checking on the property just two days earlier.
“It all started in April this year after the church closed because of Covid-19,” Rich explains.
“The laaities in the area realised that pigeons had come to nest in the roof and so they broke in trying to catch pigeons.
“There were holes made in the roof in the church hall, which is used as a creché, where they gained access.”
Rich says shortly after the laaities started smashing the windows and breaking the roof panels, opportunistic tikkoppe took over.
“The laaities come in the day and the tikkoppe come at night,” he says.
“The hall is filled with pigeon poo and feathers and the druggies have stripped all the wiring and damaged the classrooms.
“Before the lockdown, we got paint and decided to paint some murals for the children in the hall. We put the paint in the storeroom and they even stole that.”
He says the burglaries have been reported to police, but no arrests as yet.
“On the side of the church they have bent the fence so they can get in.
“There is a cupboard of books that was left in one of the classrooms and even that was bashed open and destroyed.
“We are so disappointed to see how the building has been destroyed especially as the church has served this community for 50 years now.”
Rich says repairs to the hall will cost thousands of rands, which the congregation cannot afford.
“The roof alone will cost about R30 000 and as for the other repairs, we do not know. We are looking for help from anyone who can help us rebuild the creché.
“We only charge parents a nominal fee and this goes towards the running of the creché as no profit is made.”
If you would like to assist, call Rich on 083 393 9139 or Lesley on 082 476 3741.
monique.duval@inl.co.za