A CABINET Minister has slammed some church pastors for milking their congregants to poverty through cash demands.

Women Affairs, Community and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Dr Sithembiso Nyoni yesterday said most prosperity preachers are known for living lavishly yet their congregants lead miserable lives.

The Minister said this while officially opening Wolanani Supermarket and Wolanani Manufacturing in Mbembesi, Matabeleland North.

The supermarket and the manufacturing centre is run by community members after getting sponsorship from the Apostolic Faith and Action Church whose aim is to capacitate local women and youths in self-help
projects which include manufacturing products such as soap, juices and candles among others in what they call rural industrialisation.
The community members are also involved in poultry projects and Dr Nyoni donated 1 000 chicks towards their endeavours.

She said churches should emulate the apostolic church which does not only preach about the gospel but is also directly involved in practical works to end poverty in areas where it is operating from.

“There are those churches which come to communities to wipe off money. Many churches are created to make wealth for themselves and not for God and the people.

“That is a fact. Some of the church leaders are filthy rich and have even contracted body guards; even their wives have body guards. If you are a believer your body guard should be Jesus and angels. But some of these churches, their leaders are there to enrich themselves,” said Dr Nyoni.State media