Worshippers at Zayoni Kingdom Catholic Church in Waterloo, north of Durban, were left shaken on Friday night after two armed men stormed a prayer service and robbed dozens of congregants at gunpoint.
The incident occurred at around 9 p.m., according to the Reaction Unit of South Africa (RUSA). Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants, dressed head-to-toe in black, entered the church during the service and ordered the congregation to hand over their belongings.
“The men were brandishing firearms. They demanded mobile phones from the congregation, collecting a total of 46 devices, which they placed into a plastic packet before fleeing the scene,” said RUSA spokesperson Prem Balram.
It remains unclear whether the robbers fled on foot or used a getaway vehicle. Despite the tense standoff, none of the estimated 60 congregants, among them several children, were hurt during the ordeal.
The attack has sparked renewed concerns about rising violent crime in South Africa, where places of worship have increasingly become soft targets for criminals. Local police have not yet confirmed whether any arrests have been made.