Pastors tell Ramaphosa to step up
• Church tells deputy president he will be SA’s leader
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has been told by leaders of the Shembe Nazareth Baptist Church to stop beating about the bush and to put himself forward in the ANC presidential race.
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has been told by leaders of the Shembe Nazareth Baptist Church to stop beating about the bush and to put himself forward in the ANC presidential race.
Ramaphosa was at the eGibisile Home in Empangeni, in KwaZulu-Natal, on Tuesday at the invitation of Prophet “Unyazilwezulu” Shembe.
He joined thousands of congregants in a three-hour church service to celebrate the life of Shembe church founder Isaiah Shembe.
Taken aback by the request, Ramaphosa said he had not come to ask for a position.
“I didn’t come here for anything else or position. I came here for two things: that is to learn about inkosi Shembe and to ask for you to pray for the ANC and the government,” Ramaphosa said.
However, this did not go down well with some church leaders who clearly had been briefed on why Ramaphosa was visiting the church.
Senior pastor Mthandeni Ntombela led the charge.
“You must talk straight and tell inkosi you are here to ask for the position of the president of the ANC,” he said.
“Don’t beat by [sic] the bush because [Jacob] Zuma also came here and asked to be made president and for his criminal cases to go away. You were elected deputy president and you should be one,” said Ntombela.
An embarrassed Ramaphosa laughed off the remarks.
Ntombela said Zuma had forgotten to return to thank the lord, hence his recent woes.
“You will be the [ANC] president whether they like it or not. This is your ANC. If you are not direct and ask what you want, you will not get it.
“The Prince of Phindangene [Mangosuthu Buthelezi] came here and he made a mistake. He prayed for peace and said ‘may the best man win’ and didn’t say ‘Father, I want to win’ and he never governed.
“He would be in charge today,” said Ntombela to a nodding and barefoot Ramaphosa.
If Ramaphosa did not raise his hand, he would suffer the same fate that befell former premier Senzo Mchunu, Ntombela said. Mchunu was recalled by the ANC in May 2016 after a tumultuous period, following his loss of the party chairmanship to Sihle Zikalala in November 2015.
Ntombela urged Ramaphosa to return on July 4 for another church conference.
“You must come back and ask directly, and don’t be shy, for whatever you ask in our midst will be granted to you.”
Ramaphosa had told the church earlier that the ANC government was in need of prayers as it was “languishing” under a dark cloud.
“Some of you might have seen on TV yesterday when the president was prevented from speaking…. Something shows you that things are not right in the party and government. We ask for your prayers because you are able to pray. Please pray for us,” he said.