By: Sbongakonke Mbatha

Throwing salt on an open wound is how many would describe TB Joshua’s alleged visit to South Africa to console and pray for all those who have lost their loved ones.

The recent collapse of the Nigerian Synagogue Church of All Nations led by well-known prophet TB Joshua left 87 of the 349 South Africans in attendance dead, with many more sustaining serious injuries.

For five days, 33 year old Lindiwe Ndwandwe was trapped inside a toilet next to the dining hall of the collapsed synagogue Church of All Nations, breathing through a small hole in the wreckage. The Sowetan reported that she was forced to drink her own urine to survive.

Families of the deceased and families of the injured are still trying to process this disaster that has caused a lot of pain. Many families have lost bread winners and both parents, leaving children orphaned.

Joshua said that he would travel to South Africa in the coming weeks to meet families and survivors of the building collapse.

Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan visited the church and promised to investigate the cause of the tragedy. He promised to hold talks with the construction industry on how to prevent a repeat of the tragedy. Sadly it has been a week and a half and we haven’t heard anything more about the talks, nor about the findings of the investigation. All we hear is dead silence.

Joshua blames the incident on sabotage. He claims to work miracles, raising people form the dead and healing the sick as well as foreseeing disasters. I am not sure whether such proclaimed powers will protect him from angry South Africans.