Shembe elders power hungry: secretary

Shembe Church elders were power hungry in 1994, the Durban High Court heard on Thursday, in a case to resolve the church's leadership battle.

“There was a great hunger for superiority amongst the elders of the church,” its general secretary, Chance Sibisi, said.

He said some elders thought they were entitled to become leaders.

“They had a thought and belief that Amos Kula Shembe would not name his successor. They thought it was a golden opportunity,” Sibisi said.

Kula Shembe was one of church founder Isiah Shembe's two sons.

The Shembe Church has been embroiled in a leadership battle since the death of Vimbeni Shembe, who was the leader of the largest faction.

Last year, the court heard that, according to a will, Vimbeni chose his cousin, Vela Shembe, as his successor. However, some senior leaders of the church wanted Vimbeni's son, Mduduzi, to take the reins.

After failing to convince the church's elders that Vimbeni had nominated him, Vela took the matter to court.

Sibisi testified that the elders resorted to praying and fasting for seven days, in the hope that the holy spirit would choose a leader from the seven elders. They also wanted to use clause eight in the church's constitution, which allows for elders to choose a leader.

Their attempts failed when they found out the clause requires an executive committee, which they did not have.

“When Amos Kula died in 1995, their opportunity to select a leader was spoilt because lawyer Rogers Ngcobo announced Vimbeni as the leader of the church,” testified Sibisi.

Ngcobo had a letter written by Amos Kula.

“Vimbeni was announced as the leader in 1995, but 80 percent of the elders were not happy.”

Sibisi said he was told by church members because he wasn't present at the gathering. He went into details of how previous leaders were nominated in the past.

In March, 1910, Isiah Shembe had come to KwaZulu-Natal because God sent him to found the church, heal the sick and to preach the gospel, Sibisi said.

“As the congregation grew in numbers, he decided to ordain two members of the church and his two sons (Johannes Galile Shembe and Amos Kula Shembe) at a ceremony at the Nhlangakazi mountain.”

He told the congregation he ordained his sons to be the church's future leaders.

“They are an asset of the church, look after them,” Sibisi quoted Isiah Shembe as saying. He then told the church his two sons would lead, followed by their children.

Johannes Galile was announced leader in 1935 by lawyer DG Shepstone. When Galile died in 1976, his brother Amos Kula was announced leader by Dr EZ Sikhakhane and reverend AA Ngcobo in January 1977.

Vimbeni succeeded his father Amos Kula in 1995. Sibisi said the practice was in accordance with Isiah Shembe's wishes.

Vela is the son of Johannes Galile.

Sibisi had been the church's secretary since 1985 and had worked closely with Vimbeni. In December he testified that Vimbeni had given him power of attorney to handle church matters in his absence.

The matter continues on Friday. – Sapa