Shembe war rages on

The battle for the rightful heir to the leader's throne in the Nazareth Baptist Church, popularly known as Shembe, resumed yesterday after a month.

The five-year-old court case between Mduduzi "Unyazi" Shembe and his paternal uncle Vela "Imisebe Yelanga" reconvened with Reverend Mbongwa Nzama in the witness box.

Yesterday the court sought to ascertain the events that took place from the death of Vimbeni "Uthingo" Shembe until he was laid to rest.

Under cross-examination by Archie Findlay, lawyer for the Thembezinhle faction led by Imisebe Yelanga, Nzama said he did not know who allocated a speaking slot to Zwelabantu Buthelezi during the funeral of Uthingo in April 2011.

Buthelezi was the Uthingo lawyer who announced Imisebe Yelanga as the legitimate heir.

His announcement came after Inkosi Mqoqi Ngcobo of the amaQadi clan had announced Unyazi as the rightful heir to the Shembe throne.

Both Ngcobo and Buthelezi claimed that they were relaying the wishes of the late leader. After the two opposing announcements, confusion and infighting reigned at the church, with the two self-proclaimed leaders and their sympathisers defecting to form their own factions.

The announcement during Uthingo's funeral is considered the cause of the disagreement.

Nzama testified that Buthelezi had visited eBuhleni, the church headquarters, twice where he had requested to speak to the Shembe family. "The family conveyed a message to me that I must tell Buthelezi to come back another time because they were still in mourning," Nzama told the court.

He testified that on the two occasions, the family couldn't meet Buthelezi.

Asked by Findlay if he had phoned Buthelezi after their interaction, Nzama testified that he phoned Buthelezi expressing his displeasure at the manner he had conducted himself.

Buthelezi had intended to meet the family to discuss the nomination letter and to request that he be included in the funeral programme to announce the next leader as appointed by the deceased. The family refused to meet him until the burial.

Asked who crafted the funeral programme and slotted Buthelezi in, Nzama said: "I was the one tasked with drafting the programme, but since I was busy I delegated the task to two reverends."

The trial continues.