Urban Ministry Live And Unplugged: Intimidation

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Intimidation

I have been revealing correspondence here which is not merely of personal interest I think, but shows what one deals with as a minister "in the front line" -- and shows where our society "is at". For some time I have been asking the police: on what information was I criminally charged at the close of my city ministry? At first they gave me unlawful refusals. I persisted. Col. Lento then summoned me, and two officers threatened me: the day I laid my hands on that information, they said, I would face bogus charges. I recorded the threat -- an officer's voice quivers as he delivers it. Then I received this anonymous message (below), which I reveal here for the first time. My blood ran cold. 496 means "You are charged." Who wrote it? No sign. Why should this interest me? No sign. This is what police do, it says, to "cover up their wrong".

Hey. Me n my brother got bogus charges laid against us by saps. Basically to cover up their wrong doing to us. We had a witness on our side who funnily enough became a state witness. So her statement contradicted the 2 saps statements. We spent a year in court, case eventually went to trial. The 2 saps members were a no show for majority of the case and never pitched for the trial. They never got arrested for skipping court. And the case got provisionally struck off the roll depending on whether the cops wanted to pursue the matter. Yjis was in july this year. Today we get a call from Claremont Saps saying we need to come pick up 496 forms so the case can continue. I smell something fishy here. Any advice?

OBSERVATION: This message would have seemed fairly much nonsense to me if I had not first received the threat in the meeting called by Col. Lento, by two SAPS members -- and had not previously received a bogus 496 in the station of which Col. Lento is commander. Or to put this more conservatively, Capt. Noemdo-Jefta informed me that a 496 I had received was bogus, the one concerning which I am seeking information. That is, if Capt. Noemdo-Jefta was right, the police set me up. Why does this matter now? A fresh push for the information appears to be in troubled waters under Capt. Johns, who is under Col. Lento. I was afraid of the threat -- or threats, if the anonymous message is a threat. Not any more. Which does not mean I don't think they would carry it out.

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About This Blog

I have spent ten years in suburban ministry, twenty-two years (total) in urban ministry, and seven years in country ministry. My involvements in ministry continue, now reduced.

There are a few reasons for this blog: 1. To help people form a picture of what ministry is about -- in particular urban ministry -- not least seminary students who may be destined for urban ministry. I have found that the image and the reality may be far apart in academia. 2. My experience in ministry may be (and, in fact, often has been) an encouragement to other ministers -- alternatively, a cautionary tale, as the case may be! Many notes of thanks have been recorded on this blog. And 3. Friends have simply told me how interesting reports of ministry are.

This is not a "parochial" blog. Only a tenth or so of readers are local (in South Africa). Outside of my home country, this blog is most read in Europe and North America. Russia is no. 4 on the list, and there is some interest in Muslim nations. At one point, this was the most authoritative Religion blog in Southern Africa (I now do not know how it is ranked).

With all of the above in mind, the purpose of this blog is simply to record urban ministry "live and unplugged", in the form of accounts. This blog is not a "church blog", but a "ministry blog". For the most part, I don't intend to share my views. The emphasis is the experience of ministry and the various events that surround it.

A definition of “live” is “actually being performed at the time of viewing”. A definition of “unplugged” is “without amplification or modification”. However, see my Posting Policy below.

Posting Policy

This blog may be unique with regard to its degree of transparency about urban ministry. Many people have written to me to say how they cherish the help they have received through this. However, this means that special attention needs to be given to confidentiality in particular. I use the following guidelines for posting on this blog:

I apply the following questions to posts: Are they posted in good faith? Are they balanced? Are they compassionate? Are they informative about ministry? Do they help one better understand a problem or issue?

I consider a post to be unproblematic if a person's identity is unknowable in the post, if the facts are public knowledge, or if a change of particulars (name, place, date, and so on) will truly protect privacy. If I consider that anyone who was not involved in an incident would recognise those who were, then I do not post. If a post could compromise the safety of those I blog about, then I make a post safe, or I do not post.

I believe that these measures should enable me to continue to be "open" about urban ministry while not compromising privacy.

In 2013, ninety percent of the posts on this blog were removed. I then put the question of the freedom of the blog to the South African Human Rights Commission. The position is this: if a post is legal, it is legal. Essentially, all of my posts were OK. There is freedom of expression in South Africa.

Having said this, if any post should even cause discomfort, it will be removed from this blog immediately. This has always been the position. One does need to contact me for that, best through an e-mail or a blog comment, and I prefer to see a name on it. The post will be put back up only if there would seem to be compelling reason for it. It is hoped that there will be the assumption that I wish to address any discomfort satisfactorily, compassionately, and efficiently.