Custody Dispute Triggers Incident at Primary School
An incident at Matsediso Primary School in Katlehong, led by Prophet Mboro, has intensified a family custody conflict
Katlehong, South Africa – An incident shook Matsediso Primary School in Katlehong on Monday, August 5, when a group of armed men, led by the controversial Prophet Paseka "Mboro" Motsoeneng, stormed the institution and forcibly took two children amidst a family custody dispute.
Videos that have gone viral on social media show three men, one wielding an AK-47 rifle and the other two carrying machetes, removing two students from the school. The men forced their way through, threatening teachers and community members who attempted to intervene.
Paseka Motsoeneng, known by his religious name "Prophet Mboro," is seen in the footage brandishing a machete and warning a woman, apparently a teacher, to stay away. Accompanied by two other men, he escorts the children while a fourth individual waits in a nearby vehicle. At one point, the fourth man challenges the community, saying, "Who do you think you are?" when questioned about the children.
The dispute appears to be related to the custody of the children following the death of their mother in April. Tensions have risen between the paternal and maternal relatives, with each side claiming guardianship of the children.
According to Gauteng Department of Education spokesperson Steve Mabona, the children's father met with the school principal on Monday morning, followed by the maternal grandmother, who informed the principal about a conflict that had occurred the previous weekend at the paternal grandfather's home.
After these meetings, the teachers refused to release the children without the grandmother's permission, prompting Motsoeneng to arrive at the school with armed bodyguards. Reports indicate that the father and his entourage forced the children out of the institution.
In a video shared on the Facebook page "Prophet Mboro Times," Motsoeneng defended his actions, stating that he is fighting for his rights. He commented on the custody dispute, accusing the relatives of seeking financial support from him as the grandfather and justified the use of weapons by claiming, "It's not wrong for religious people to carry weapons".