A South African pastor widely condemned for spraying his followers with insecticide to 'heal' them is now being investigated, reports say.

Lethebo Rabalago, a self-proclaimed prophet, shared photos on Facebook that showed him spraying a pesticide called 'Doom' into the faces of his congregation at the Mount Zion General Assembly in the far north of South Africa.

"Doom is just a name, but when you speak to it it become [sic] a healing product, it does," he wrote in one post on November 19.

"People get healed and delivered through doom. It not by might not by power, but by the HolySpirit [sic]. We give God the glory!!"

Rabalago told the BBC that he had sprayed the face of a woman who had an eye infection, and she was "just fine because she believed in the power of God".

A commission has been set up by the government to investigate the motives behind the practice, the BBC reports.

Tiger Brands, which makes Doom, said in a statement: "it is unsafe to spray Doom or any aerosol onto people's faces," adding that the practice of doing so was "alarming".

South Africa's Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities branded the practice "detrimental" and encouraged anyone who had taken part to report it.

Another post on the Mount Zion General Assembly Facebook page from November 20 showed members of the congregation lying on the ground.

The caption read: "The Prophet commands demon to enter into people bodies so that they can manifest, for demons need flesh in order for them to operate. He begins to speak to demons in order to address problems we face each day.

"He then drives them out of their bodies to free the people.

"You are annointed to cause demons to speak even when they don't want to."

The page also posted testimonies of people who had supposedly been healed after being sprayed with Doom.

"She been feeling pains in her stomach and waist," one read. "As the Prophet sprays doom on her, she recieves [sic] her healing and deliverance."

Another showed football players being sprayed with the insecticide as Rabalago prays that they would have successful careers.

Rabalago is among a number of South African pastors famed for their controversial practices.

Photos posted on social media last year showed Penuel Mnguni of End Times Disciples Ministries feeding live snakes into the mouths of his congregants.

He was arrested and charged with animal cruelty, though was later bailed and believed to have continued the practice.

Vigilantes then burned the tent Mnguni used for worship meetings.