South African pastor makes congregants drink disinfectant for healing

A South African pastor reportedly made members of his church drink a disinfectant known as Dettol, claiming that it would heal their ailments.

Rufus Phala, a pastor of AK Spiritual Christian Church in Makgodu, Limpopo, made his followers drink the disinfectant while acknowledging that it could be harmful, Punch reported.

"I know Dettol is harmful, but God instructed me to use it. I was the first one to drink it," the pastor said.

He claimed that he has been receiving WhatsApp messages from people who said that they have been healed after following his instructions.

Dettol, which is manufactured by Reckitt Benckiser, may be harmless when mixed with the bath water or when used to clean wounds, but it is known to be dangerous when ingested.

According to an article published by the Hong Kong Medical Journal, Dettol poisoning can cause serious complications, including death.

Euphemia Annor, the regional legal director of Dettol South Africa, has called on Phala to stop using the product for healing.

"Dettol has been proved to be safe and effective when used as per recommended directions; however it is not for human consumption and is for external use only. We are against Prophet Phala using the product inappropriately," said Annor, according to Zimcelebs.

Phala, however, was unfazed and said that he would keep using the product. "After last week's service I have been receiving amazing testimony from members of my church," he said.

The controversy comes a few weeks after another pastor from Limpopo was condemned for using a pesticide in his healing services. Lethebo Rabalago, a pastor of Mount Zion General Assembly (MZGA), reportedly sprayed his followers with Doom pesticide, claiming that it could heal them from cancer, HIV, and other illnesses.

The South African Council of Churches, which represents 36 churches and religious organizations, issued a statement denouncing his actions.

"There is rampant abuse of the religiosity of poor communities by unscrupulous Dooms day prophets that emerge either as poison practitioners or money-sucking extortionists, who prey on the faith of the desperate and the ignorant," the council said in the statement.

In Eastern Cape, more than 20 people were taken to a hospital recently after ingesting a "liquid substance" at a church service. A police spokesman said that two people who were in critical condition were transferred to the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital.