Church ‘funded ANC in 70s’
Twelve Apostles Church gave money to MK
THE Twelve Apostles Church in Christ, which is aligned to the newly formed African Transformation Movement, yesterday claimed that it was one of the organisations that funded the ANC in the late 1960s and 1970s.
According to the church, its funding also extended to the PAC.
The money, it said, came from offerings contributed by church members.
These claims were made by the church’s spiritual leader, Chief Apostle Caesar Nongqunga, yesterday at Kings Park stadium in Durban.
Nongqunga was speaking during a “thanksgiving” day event. It was attended by almost 50 000 members.
Nongqunga introduced a book titled The Apostles, which was authored by Herbert Moyo. It relays the history of the church in the 1960s and 1970s.
Nongqunga pleaded with his congregation to purchase the book “in order to know the truth”.
“Some of you are not aware that the PAC exists because of this church. The founder of the PAC is Robert Sobukwe, but the father of the PAC was Apostle Hlatshwayo.
‘You also don’t know that the father of Black Consciousness was Apostle Ndlovu, yet the founder is Steve Biko.
“You will get all that information here,” Nongqunga claimed.
He further claimed that the church was with MK (uMkhonto weSizwe) and the PAC’s Azanian People’s Liberation Army) in training camps in exile.
“There are those who join the ANC for tenders. They are really hurting us. They behave as if they know the ANC when, in fact, they know nothing about it,” he said.
Nongqunga also claimed that the financial support Ndlovu gave to these parties saw him being expelled by “whites” from the Old Apostolic Church.
PAC spokesman Jaki Seroke confirmed that the party had worked with the church from its founding in April 1959.
He said the PAC associated itself with independent churches that espoused African spirituality within the framework of the Christian faith.
“Issues of support to the PAC in cash or kind are now a matter of conjecture. The liberation movement, when it went underground, did not keep books of record for any financial support.
“The PAC continues to support the idea of contextual theology and the role of the churches in uplifting the quality of life of the African people,” Seroke said.
ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe did not respond when asked to confirm that the party got money from the church.
Speaking at the same event, Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane said the oppression of people in the country had to end, and that the country’s resources must now be shared by all.
Mkhwebane insisted that all South Africa’s people must live in peace and harmony.