IPHC widows break their silence over men's deaths

Widows of the men who were found shot and burnt in a car at the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) headquarters want answers after the matter was struck off the roll, with the National Prosecuting Authority revealing on Thursday that it was proceeding with an inquest.

Two of the five widows spoke to Sowetan on Thursday, breaking their silence, after their husbands were killed at the church in Zuurbekom on the West Rand, one of the country’s biggest, 18 months ago.

The young mothers said they have had difficulty explaining to their children where their fathers were since their killing on July 11 2020.

On Thursday, NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane told Sowetan the matter was now an inquest but had not given reasons at the time of going to print.

On Wednesday, Mjonondwane confirmed that the matter was struck off the roll last month.

Maphefo Aphane, 40, who lost her 42-year-old husband Cortina, said life has been difficult for her and their four children.

“Things are not the same now that he is not around. The love that we were getting from him and the things he was doing for us in the house are no longer there. We’ve been getting good support from the church. If it weren’t for the church, I don’t know where we would be. They look after us.

“We need justice. We’ve been waiting for a long time for answers. We want to know who killed our loved ones. We are hoping that since we came here for the briefing [by the Jerusalem faction of the church], maybe there will be a way forward,” Aphane said.

She said the children had started asking questions about their father.

“The younger one asked questions but we could not answer them. The older ones understand what has happened. We just have to go on with life. Hopefully, they’ll understand that daddy is no longer there,” she said.

Mathapelo Baloyi  lost her 44-year-old husband Justice..

“I feel bad. I really need closure. Over the years things have been fine at home. God and the church has been taking very good care of us but I want justice... My younger children always ask about their father. We miss his jokes and bubbly personality,” Baloyi  said.

One of the lawyers who represented the 43 men who were arrested for the killings said investigations were stalling, leading to several postponements.

“Twice the state failed to adhere to a final warning of postponement by the court. An application was brought by the defence for the matter to be struck off the roll and the court agreed,” said the lawyer who did not want to be named.

All the accused and deceased belong to the Jerusalem faction.

Police recovered 68 firearms, which included 17 rifles, 24 shotguns and 27 pistols.

On Thursday, the Jerusalem faction held a briefing, with spokesperson Priest Vusi Ndala saying the church was vindicated as it has maintained that its members were innocent.

He said the church is looking forward to hear evidence during the inquest which will shed light on the roles of all the people who were at the scene, including police.

Ndala blamed the battles within the church on the love of money. “It is all about money. That is what they want,” he said.

He said the church has opened two cases of fraud after there were attempts to access millions of rand in its frozen bank accounts at FNB and Absa.

The church has been involved in an ugly succession battle since the death of its leader Glayton Modise in 2016. Three factions are now claiming the right to the leadership – the Jerusalema faction led by Michael Sandlana, the Leonard Modise faction that has its headquarters in Zuurbekom and the faction of Glayton's eldest son Tshepiso.

Leonard Modise's faction blamed the Jerusalema faction for the attack.

The IPHC was founded by the late Frederick Samuel Modise in 1962, who was succeeded by his son Glayton Modise in 1998. The dispute over who should succeed him after his death is before the courts.

Law expert Dr Llewellyn Curlewis of the University of Pretoria said even though under normal processes the “inquest precedes prosecution” and the placing of the matter on the criminal trial roll, it was still within the NPA’s rights to re-evaluate the matter as the accused had not pleaded.

“The NPA has to ensure that there’s at least prima facie evidence against a person before deciding whether the matter should be placed on the criminal trial roll, so that’s usually how it takes place not like it happened here,” Curlewis said.

He said, however, as long as the accused have not pleaded, there’s still room for the NPA to change its mind and opt to pursue a criminal trial.