Cyril will be president – Shembe

Church officials tell deputy president to make bold move for top job

“You will be the president whether they like it or not. This is your ANC.”

This is what the Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe) has told Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, who he advised to stop beating about the bush and raise his hand for the ANC presidency.

Yesterday Ramaphosa visited Empangeni on the KwaZulu-Natal’s north coast at the invitation of church leader, Prophet Mduduzi “Unyazilwezulu” Shembe, who heads Ebuhleni, the bigger faction of the church. However he lost a five-year court battle for the control of the church to his uncle Vela Shembe. Mduduzi is appealing the ruling with the Constitutional Court.

Ramaphosa was joined by thousands of congregants in a three-hour service to celebrate the life of the church’s founder Prophet Isaiah Shembe.

“I came here for two things: to learn about Inkosi uShembe and to ask you to pray for the ANC and the government,” Ramaphosa said.

This did not go down well with some church leaders who had been briefed on why Ramaphosa was there. Soon after he had addressed reporters, the ANC deputy president was confronted by senior pastors.

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. Don’t beat about the bush.

“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 president,” said Ntombela.

Ntombela said Zuma came to the church for help but had since forgotten to come back to thank the Lord, hence his “recent woes”.

“If you are not direct and ask what you want, you will not get it. The Prince of Phindangene [Mangosuthu Buthelezi] came here and made a mistake. He prayed for peace and didn’t say ‘Father I want to win’. He never governed,” said Ntombela.

Ntombela said if Ramaphosa did not raise his hand, he would suffer the same fate as former premier Senzo Mchunu, who accompanied him to church.

Mchunu lost a ANC leadership contest to Sihle Zikalala.

Mchunu attended the Chris Hani Memorial Lecture in Newcastle with Ramaphosa last Friday. He is tipped to be the next ANC secretary general by the Ramaphosa faction.

Shembe elders urged Ramaphosa to come back on July 4.

‘‘ You were elected deputy president and you should be the president

/ JACKIE CLAUSEN Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa thanks Reverend Mbongwa Nzama of the Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe) while senior leader Pastor Mthandeni Ntombela looks on at Esikhawini, Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal.

/ JACKIE CLAUSEN Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa prays alongside the Ebuhleni members of the Nazareth Baptist Church, better known as Shembe Church, yesterday. Ramaphosa is vying for the presidency of the ANC, which holds its elective conference in December.