As the Hawks investigate Murunwa Makwarela for allegedly forging a court document, the former Tshwane mayor told his congregation on Sunday that there was an orchestrated attack on him “as if he stole eggs”.
Makwarela, an apostle at The Righteousness of God Ministries church in Wallmansthal, Pretoria, said there were “big, old and sophisticated billionaires pumping billions” to attack him because he was broke in 2016.
The Hawks are investigating Makwarela after it emerged that a document he presented to the city of Tshwane purporting to be his rehabilitation certificate was forged.
He had been declared insolvent in 2016 and by law could not stand as a councillor in the city unless he could prove his rehabilitation certificate from court.
When city manager Johann Mettler demanded a rehabilitation certificate, the document he presented was so poorly forged that the name of the court was wrong, even his own surname was misspelt.
The registrar of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria confirmed that the document was never issued from the court and that no rehabilitation certificate was ever issued under Makwarela’s name.
During the service yesterday, Makwarela thanked the congregants for their prayers while his family was grieving the loss of his father-in-law and two cousins.
Makwarela also used the opportunity to speak about his unceremonious exit as mayor.
“Thank you for your prayers. We lost our father-in-law...my wife’s father. It is heavy and not the easiest of things to deal with. As if that was not enough, there is the political side of me.
“ I have never seen such an attack – one man, one seat attack as if he stole eggs. The attack is that this man in 2016 was so broke. What does it have to do with the now? Can you imagine,” said Makwarela.
“I don’t say to be broke is a crime. We lose money all the time. As if that was not enough, the attacks were coming left, right and centre. We have seen that the establishment is attacking one young boy from the village.
“An attack on one man from the village, attacked by big, old, sophisticated billionaires pumping money and billions to attack me, filling all the media spaces, scandalising his name and even saying that he does not have a PhD.
“They will [put you on trial] in the media and find you guilty in the media. These are fires and they will not burn us. We also buried our two cousins last week. It doesn’t rain but it pours for my family. From my wife’s side, we lose, from my side we win and lose. They were saying he is a mayor, and I said I am resigning. They asked why are you resigning. I said I heard the Lord say it is time. Everything happens for a reason. Thank you for your prayers,” he said.
About 30 people attended the service amid a sea of dozens of empty chairs. They were nodding their heads and raising their hands while he was speaking.
Though the service started at 10am, Makwarela only arrived at 10.50am while the congregants were singing.
He sang and danced energetically during the service, seemingly unperturbed by the criminal investigation against him.
Makwarela then took to the podium and
read from Matthew 9: 36-38.
He preached for about 45 minutes and then asked people who were going through personal issues to stand up, raise their hands and then he prayed for them from the podium.
Hawks spokesperson Brig Thandi Mbambo said they are investigating a case of fraud.
“The investigation is still at its infancy stage and no further details can be divulged at this stage. The initial docket we received was that of the DA, additional ones will be added to the docket as affidavits but we can’t disclose from who,” said Mbambo.
Two weeks ago, Makwarela resigned as a mayor, councillor and member of COPE. After his resignation, the party described the alleged forgery as wrongdoing and thievery. – Additional Reporting Noxolo Sibiya
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