TB Joshua invites SA families to Lagos

Controversial Nigerian pastor TB Joshua has invited the South Africa families of the Lagos building collapse victims to spend Christmas and New Year with him.

"The prophet has invited the families of the deceased to come and spend time out there at the synagogue with the other church members for Christmas and very importantly... the end of the year candlelight services," Synagogue Church of All Nations spokesperson Kirsten Nematandani said in a Sapa report.

"The purpose is to spend time with the families. As we know the families are going through a difficult time... this is part of the process the church is undergoing," he said.

In September 85 South Africans visiting the Joshua's Synagogue Church of All Nations died when a guest house on the church's compound grounds collapsed.

Nematandani said that Joshua would fund the entire trip, which includes all transport, accommodation, meals and visa applications, for the families that accepted the offer.

So far 44 family members have accepted the invitaion and they will fly to Nigeria on Christmas Day and return on January 2.

Nigeria though has yet to repatriate the bodies of 11 of the South African victims.