Vigilantes have burned the tent used for worship meetings by the South African pastor who fed his congregation live snakes to test their faith.

Photos were posted by End Times Disciples Ministries on social media showing 'Prophet' Penuel Mnguni dropping a live snake into the mouths of his congregants. The caption read: "Those with small faith eats only vegetables but the ones with a great faith eats everything. During service Man of God commanded a snake to change into a chocolate and it obeyed. People ate it and enjoyed it. To God Be The Glory!"

Mnguni was arrested, charged with animal cruelty and bailed, but is said to have continued his controversial practices.

Members of a group known as the Economic Freedom Fighters marched to his tent church on Sunday, vowing to force him to eat the snakes and rats he has been giving to his own congregation. When they failed to find him, they destroyed the tent, which was later burnt by local people. However, the congregation spilled out into the street and another church leader is said to have ordered them to eat grass and leaves.

It is not the first time that Mnguni and his church have courted controversy. In May, End Times Disciples Ministries made the headlines after photos were posted of congregants stripping their clothes off during a service and lying down while the pastor stood on them.

Mnguni apparently told those gathered: "God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden with no clothes on, and because they had faith in the Lord, they didn't even know they were undressed".

A caption on one of the photos apparently suggested that those being trod on could feel no pain, which was a demonstration of God's power.

According to Eyewitness News, the case has spurred the South African Council of Churches to call for an investigation by the country's Human Rights Commission and for the creation of a regulatory body to deal with leaders who behave unethically. Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana said: "Let's have some kind of pact together, an agreement where we will have a structure that allows certain for standards to be created so that when somebody does something that is out of line, we can go there."