An ANC branch chairman and former head of security for Deputy President David Mabuza has opened a defamation case against a North West bishop who claims Mabuza is a murderer.

Welcome Nkuna, who is Ward 3 chairman in Mbombela, yesterday opened the case against Faith Harvest Bible leader Bishop Max Lazarus Maumela, saying he defamed Mabuza when he addressed ANC members during a campaign programme for ANC chairman candidate David Dube in Mbalenhle at the weekend.

In a video clip seen by Sowetan, Maumela is heard saying, "we can't have a murderer as a deputy president".

"The comrades in Mpumalanga must show us that they support comrade Cyril by supporting this man [pointing at Dube]. I'm not being biased, I have been supporting other comrades but I realised there's a crisis here.

"We need decent leaders who have made it in life without killing other people," Maumela said.

Nkuna, who claimed that no one had instructed him to open the case, said: "This
bogus and fake bishop made allegations that the deputy president is a murderer and has his girlfriend as a premier, which is not true.

"So, as a member of the ANC in good standing and branch chairperson myself, we are obligated to protect the image of the ANC and its leadership, hence I came to open the case against this man."

Mabuza's spokesman Zibonele Mncwango said it was regrettable that a religious leader could utter the words spoken by Maumela.

"It is regrettable that a religious leader can utter such disreputable words," Mncwango said.

Maumela could not be reached for comment.