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Murder plot adds zest to Shembe war

SHOW OF SUPPORT: Shembe church members sing and wave to their leader Mduduzi Shembe as he leaves court PHOTO: Phumlani Thabethe
SHOW OF SUPPORT: Shembe church members sing and wave to their leader Mduduzi Shembe as he leaves court PHOTO: Phumlani Thabethe

A rumoured assassination plot has emerged in the battle for leadership in Nazareth Baptist Church, popularly known as the Shembe Church.

The court yesterday heard that Vela "Imisebe Yelanga" Shembe had confided to Chief Mqoqi Ngcobo of the Qadi clan at Mzinyathi, that senior pastors and evangelists in the church were spreading rumours about a plot to assassinate Vimbeni "Uthingo" Shembe, the deceased leader of the church.

The leadership battle has been postponed to May 11 to allow the attorneys representing Imisebe Yelanga time to prepare.

Ngcobo, the main witness in the trial, would face off with Vela's advocate Archie Findlay in the cross-examination.

Yesterday, the attorney representing Mduduzi "Unyazi" Shembe, Rajesh Choudree, produced a letter allegedly written by Imisebe Yelanga. It is alleged in the letter, the self-proclaimed heir to the Shembe throne raised concerns that his life was in danger.

Asked by Choudree whether he knew any of the contents of the letter, the chief said it was true that he had met Imisebe Yelanga.

"The leader [Imisebe Yelanga] visited me in my office unaccompanied where he told me about the rumours. He told me that he needed to speak to Uthingo to address such concerns. I then borrowed him my personal computer where he wrote the letter," Ngcobo told court.

He said the letter was then addressed to Uthingo. In the letter, Imisebe Yelanga laments how he was barred from meeting Uthingo by the church elders who had heard about the leaked reports that he was destined to take over the church reins should Uthingo die.

The court also heard that on the day Uthingo died, Chancey Sibisi, the secretary of the church, had a private conversation with Ngcobo in which Sibisi allegedly told him Vela had been anointed as the next leader. It emerged that during the private session, Ngcobo asked Sibisi why the late leader chose Vela instead of his son Mduduzi.

The chief told the court it was true that he met Sibisi but he never uttered a word because he was shocked.

Judge Achmat Jappie, presiding over the trial, asked Ngcobo: "When you made the announcement you had met with Sibisi and he told you about Vela being preferred; why did you not tell him that the deceased had told you another name?"

Ngcobo said saw no need to tell Sibisi because he had an obligation to the church congregants not him.

"It was not for Sibisi to know who the next preferred [leader] was, but it was to make an announcement to the congregants in time."

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