Lungani Zungu
The succession battle at the Nazareth Baptist Church, otherwise known as the Shembe church, has been raging for a decade.
Now the church’s followers will know on Tuesday who is the rightful leader after a protracted legal battle.
The Constitutional Court will deliver judgement over who is the rightful leader of the church that boasts millions of members.
The church was torn into two factions when its longtime leader Vimbeni Shembe died in 2011.
One faction is led by Vimbeni’s son Mduduzi of eBuhleni. The other was first led by his nephew Vela from the Thembezinhle faction. But Vela died in 2017, and was succeeded by Phinda Shembe, who is also Vimbeni’s nephew.
As the factions took hold, devout church members turned against each other, with some of them even physically clashing outside Durban High Court in 2015.
The Durban and the Pietermaritzburg High Courts first ruled in favour of Vela, but Mduduzi’s faction took the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein.
Again, the court ruled against them, prompting them to take the matter to the Constitutional Court.
Members of the church are keenly waiting for the decision.
Themba Mchunu, from KwaMashu, said: “I hope that after the ruling on Tuesday the church will unite instead of fighting. Our church is known for peace.”
He said it broke his heart to see the members of his church fighting.
“If we say we are true servants of the great Shembe, then our behaviour should show that.”
Nkululeko Mthethwa, the spokesperson of the Thembezinhle faction, and Thokozani Mncwabe from the eBuhleni faction said they would speak after the ruling on Tuesday.
Picture source: @londypearl
