Lungani Zungu and Linda Ximba
There’s no end in sight to the squabbling in the Nazareth Baptist Church, otherwise known as Shembe, even after the ConCourt finalised the decade-long leadership battle.
The highest court ruled that the late Vela Shembe was the rightful leader.
The ruling now places Phinda Shembe, who was nominated by Vela in his will when he died in 2017, as the rightful leader of the church’s more than 5 million members.
Despite the ruling, the eBuhleni faction led by Mduduzi Shembe rejected the ruling.
But now, they risked being ejected from the church’s lavish headquarters in Inanda.
This emerged yesterday during the hastily-convened media briefing where the winning Thembezinhle (Vela) faction outlined the way forward.
Secretary Chancy Sibisi said those who resist the change would face the consequences.
“The legitimate leader has a plan up his sleeves to deal decisively with all sorts of hindrance and dirty tactics. But he has made it clear we must unite as one as per Mqaliwendlela’s endeavour to unite all Nazarites like a cement stone.”
But Thokozane Mncwabe of the losing eBuhleni faction insisted that Mduduzi would remain a leader of the church.
“We will not allow the courts to run our church. The Shembe church cannot be ruled by the courts.”
Church spokesperson Nkululeko Mthethwa came out guns blazing, saying they will keep a close eye on Unyazi Lwezulu’s movement following the decision that dethroned him.
“Should he continue to carry himself as a leader, he will be dealt with because legally, he is now an ordinary member of the church.
“We will not force those who still believe he is the right leader. Of importance to us is to sit down and iron out differences.”
The power contest began when Vimbeni died in 2011.
Mduduzi of the eBuhleni faction claimed that his father had orally nominated him to lead the church.
But Vela from the Thembezinhle faction challenged this and ultimately proved that Vimbeni had indeed nominated him in his will.
The Mduduzi faction then launched a series of appeals, all the way to the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein.
When they lost, they launched a last-ditch attempt to the ConCourt, which has now also failed.
The church had been torn into many factions since 1976, but eBuhleni and Thembezinhle emerged as the two major factions clashing for the leadership of the church.
