The strife-torn International Pentecost Holiness Church (IPHC) should consider an interim executive committee (exco) composed of leaders of two opposing groups, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria heard yesterday.
THE strife-torn International Pentecost Holiness Church (IPHC) should consider an interim executive committee (exco) composed of leaders of two opposing groups, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria heard yesterday.
Gerrit Muller SC, for Tshepiso Modise - the son of the recently departed IPHC spiritual leader Glayton Modise - told Judge Jody Kollapen that such an exco would bring about a semblance of stability in the church.
Kollapen was hearing an application to grant respondents in the matter, the 28 elders and youth of the church opposed to ordination of Tshepiso Modise as new spiritual leader, leave to appeal his judgment of March 23. Modise wants to be ordained, claiming his father chose him.
Kollapen's judgment appointed a five-men exco headed by Modise to run affairs of the IPHC, including administration and finances. This would be an interim structure until the main application to court about the rightful successor was concluded.
A declaratory order by Judge Peter Mabuse on March 24 validated the exco Kollapen appointed. But Mabuse's order was set aside last Thursday, booting the interim exco out.
There are now two executive committees at the church, Kollapen heard yesterday.
One was led by Modise, and the other was appointed on March 5 by church council and comprises six reverends involved in the court battle against Modise.
But an interim exco made of both sides would "of course assist", said Muller. "What we really would like to do, and my learned friend [Stephen Vivian, senior counsel for respondents] and I have discussed that briefly, I don't know if it's possible, perhaps we can agree on an interim executive committee consisting of both groups," Muller said.
Kollapen asked the parties if, "as remote as it may seem", they would be willing to "consider the prospect of an executive committee that represent the opposing parties."
"There's a suggestion that it could be made up of members from both sides."
Kollapen postponed the matter to Monday.
He would deliver judgment on the application by the elders and the youth to appeal his judgment.
Outside court and after proceedings, Reverend Alfred Mohlala, of the church elders opposed to Modise, shot down the suggestion.
"We, as a legitimate exco, cannot give consent to the court to appoint exco on behalf of the church. That is unconstitutional," Mohlala told Sowetan.
"Secondly, we cannot agree on a gentlemen's agreement where we legitimise a structure that does not exist in terms of laws of the church.
"We need only one outcome. The outcome that officially confirms there's one exco in the church, and the one that has been elected by members of the church according to the constitution of the church."
nkosib@sowetan.co.za
Modise wants Exco made of opposing church groups
The strife-torn International Pentecost Holiness Church (IPHC) should consider an interim executive committee (exco) composed of leaders of two opposing groups, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria heard yesterday.
THE strife-torn International Pentecost Holiness Church (IPHC) should consider an interim executive committee (exco) composed of leaders of two opposing groups, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria heard yesterday.
Gerrit Muller SC, for Tshepiso Modise - the son of the recently departed IPHC spiritual leader Glayton Modise - told Judge Jody Kollapen that such an exco would bring about a semblance of stability in the church.
Kollapen was hearing an application to grant respondents in the matter, the 28 elders and youth of the church opposed to ordination of Tshepiso Modise as new spiritual leader, leave to appeal his judgment of March 23. Modise wants to be ordained, claiming his father chose him.
Kollapen's judgment appointed a five-men exco headed by Modise to run affairs of the IPHC, including administration and finances. This would be an interim structure until the main application to court about the rightful successor was concluded.
A declaratory order by Judge Peter Mabuse on March 24 validated the exco Kollapen appointed. But Mabuse's order was set aside last Thursday, booting the interim exco out.
There are now two executive committees at the church, Kollapen heard yesterday.
One was led by Modise, and the other was appointed on March 5 by church council and comprises six reverends involved in the court battle against Modise.
But an interim exco made of both sides would "of course assist", said Muller. "What we really would like to do, and my learned friend [Stephen Vivian, senior counsel for respondents] and I have discussed that briefly, I don't know if it's possible, perhaps we can agree on an interim executive committee consisting of both groups," Muller said.
Kollapen asked the parties if, "as remote as it may seem", they would be willing to "consider the prospect of an executive committee that represent the opposing parties."
"There's a suggestion that it could be made up of members from both sides."
Kollapen postponed the matter to Monday.
He would deliver judgment on the application by the elders and the youth to appeal his judgment.
Outside court and after proceedings, Reverend Alfred Mohlala, of the church elders opposed to Modise, shot down the suggestion.
"We, as a legitimate exco, cannot give consent to the court to appoint exco on behalf of the church. That is unconstitutional," Mohlala told Sowetan.
"Secondly, we cannot agree on a gentlemen's agreement where we legitimise a structure that does not exist in terms of laws of the church.
"We need only one outcome. The outcome that officially confirms there's one exco in the church, and the one that has been elected by members of the church according to the constitution of the church."
nkosib@sowetan.co.za
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