In one of the most unexpected developments in church circles, a church in Thengwe Matshetshete has been ordered to close.
This follows a dispute over occupancy of the site between the Thengwe traditional council and the church leadership.
The church, The House of Cana Prophetic Ministry, situated at Thengwe Matshetshete and led by Prophet Rolindela Tshitangano, has recently been in the news, following the killing of local educator, Ndinainwi Innocentia Mabuke. Mabuke was shot dead while boarding a taxi after attending an all-night prayer service at the church.
Mabuke, of Tswinga, was due to testify in a rape case she had opened against Prophet Innocent Muritho, a close friend and the spiritual father of Prophet Rolindela.
Her death angered the community, which strongly believes it was carefully planned and that she had been lured to the church for that purpose.
After the incident, and amid mounting pressure from the Thengwe community, the village leadership said it had no other option than to close the church.
Rumours of the closure began circulating soon after Mabuke's death, but services continued, despite letters circulating on social media, which the traditional council did not initially confirm.
The rumours were put to rest when the local traditional council met with the prophet and ordered him to vacate the site on which the church is situated.
The meeting was held on Tuesday, 9 December, and Prophet Rolindela was given until Sunday, 14 December, to close the church.
Thengwe Thondoni Village Council chairperson Khodani Hendrick Mudanalwo confirmed that a meeting to that effect had been held with the prophet on 9 December. He said several meetings had previously been held, during which Rolindela was instructed to follow the correct protocol, but had delayed doing so.
"The site in question was given to a Mr Nefale, who indicated that he wanted to build a dry-cleaning business. Along the way, the site changed hands and was taken over by the prophet, who, instead of building a dry-cleaning business, built a church. We summoned him to follow the right protocols, but in vain. The last meeting was presided over by the owner of the land, Thovhele Vudzidzhena Nethengwe, who issued the final order," he said.
House of Cana Prophetic Ministry founder Prophet Rolindela Tshitangano confirmed that he had met with local leaders and that the decision had been taken.
"We will, in the interim, be using the Tshilamba Town Hall for Sunday services. This will continue until we officially receive the site we purchased four years ago. The village leadership has kept us waiting without showing us our site. We urge all our members not to despair as our services will not be disrupted," he said.