Le Roux Schoeman, Die Burger
Stellenbosch - Three young men have appeared in court after they apparently disrupted a church service, appearing naked and armed with pepper spray.
The incident happened at Shofar, a charismatic church named after the Hebrew word for the horn of a ram.
Police spokesperson captain René Matthee said Lodiwikus Gouws, 20, Antonie Knoetze, 21, and Dwayne Wiese, 21, were arrested two Sundays ago for public indecency and assault.
Gouws was also involved in a commotion in 2006 when he was taped on cellphone while disrupting a philosophy class at the University of Stellenbosch as part of a hostel prank.
He then only wore a T-shirt and a novelty G-string.
Gouws lives at the Wilgenhof university residence. The hostel on Monday denied that the church incident was planned student "fun".
Emergency evacuation
Church leaders described the incident as a "calculated and pre-planned attack". According to the university "initial indications" were that "a few" of its students were involved in the incident.
"The university is investigating the case and charges against the involved parties will be formulated on the strength of the evidence found during the investigation," said a statement.
Morné Bosch, a spokesperson for Shofar, said six naked male students had rushed into the church during the service. Bosch said there were about 400 people in the church.
"Two (of the men) succeeded in storming in between stunned churchgoers and sprayed them with pepper spray," stated a statement released by the church. An emergency evacuation followed.
"It's bizarre, this is isn't student fun," said Bosch. According to him the church believed it showed a "disturbing level of moral decay in certain circles of the academic community".
"You know, you are busy worshipping the Lord and then naked men walk in... it traumatises you," said Pastor Sias le Roux.
Marcel Boezaart, head student of Wilgenhof, confirmed that Gouws was still a resident but said the church incident was "not on campus" and was not related to residence activities.
- Die Burger
Why not rather go do it when the parliament is in sitting 
