Stampede for Magaya healing in SA

There was pandemonium at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport when Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries leader Prophet Walter Magaya landed in South Africa for a three-day crusade here.

Business almost came to a standstill as followers and travellers jostled to catch a glimpse of the popular prophet.

South African security details and Prophet Magaya’s security team had a torrid time as they tried to contain hundreds of followers, travellers and workers at the airport who wanted to have a chance to be close to the PHD founder, possibly for a healing and deliverance moment.

Prophet Magaya touched down at 5pm, but emerged from the lobby around 6pm as security details took their time to strategise on how they would contain the mammoth crowd that awaited him.

This was meant to avert a stampede that could possibly result in casualties at the high security area.

 
Hundreds of followers, most of them in church regalia, waited patiently to have their leader come to the Arrivals Department of the spacious international airport.

There was a rapturous applause when Prophet Magaya emerged under heavy security as people blew horns and whistles while hordes of journalists struggled to have an interview with him as security teams formed a barricade around him.

Prophet Magaya granted a brief interview where he promised deliverance during the crusade before he was whisked away in a convoy of cars.

He was driven straight to the venue in Pretoria, where he led followers in prayer before he went to his hotel.

Ordinary travellers, workers, cabin crew members were taken by surprise as Prophet Magaya got a standing ovation from his followers.

More than 16 buses from Zimbabwe carrying his followers arrived here yesterday morning after travelling throughout the night.

Before his departure for Pretoria, Prophet Magaya addressed congregants at his Waterfalls base where he predicted a bumper crowd during his second crusade after another successful event in Botswana two months ago.

He, however, expressed fears that South African authorities might seek to stop tomorrow’s service as a precautionary measure as they might be a stampede.

“I am seeing a successful crusade on Thursday (today), but not on Friday (tomorrow),” said Prophet Magaya during his address in Harare.

He, however, urged his followers to be disciplined saying they did not only represent the ministry but the country as well.

Herald