'Jesus' assaulted by mob

A man from Matshobana suburb who claimed to be Jesus is lucky to be alive after an angry crowd assaulted him saying he was a religious impostor.

Riot police had to be called to rescue him as the crowd, on Sunday night, demanded his head.

The self anointed Messiah ran and hid at a house near Sekusile, with the crowd hot on his heels. They said he hid in a garage while the angry mob destroyed a brick wall in an effort to reach him.

Vendors said Ncube claimed that he had power to perform miracles because he was "Jesus." "He said God gave him power to remove a curse from a nearby Choppies Supermarket that was hit by thieves twice towards the Christmas holiday. He said he could conjure a snake out of a piece of cloth and miraculously produce cats out of thin air. He was dressed in a long white robe and had a big walking stick," said one of the witnesses.

"He said he would curse anyone who did not believe because he was ‘Jesus." said Meluleki Sibanda, a tout.

Sibanda said a group of touts said the prophet was a magician not a miracle worker.

He said the touts said the prophet should perform a miracle for the crowd.

"He failed dismally. When they laughed at him, he got angry and hit one of the touts. They all started beating him and other people joined in saying he should respect them and not claim to be the Son of God," said Sibanda.

Maria Sibanda, a vendor at Sekusile, said the "Messiah" ran and tried to hide at a nearby house with the crowd chasing and beating him up.

"He hid in a garage at the house. People started destroying a brick wall from the garage, trying to reach him. They were chanting that he was a Satanist and should be taught a lesson. As they were about to reach him, police sirens were heard as riot police arrived. People fled in every direction," said Sibanda.

Sibanda said; "If the police had not arrived, that man was going to die horribly. I think people were going to regret after killing him." Police could not immediately confirm the incident yesterday.