A reader who asked to remain anonymous shared a disturbing account about his pastor, whom we’ll call Pastor Tshidada, and his wife.
For three years, the pastor and his wife’s marriage was marked by an absence of intimacy. According to David*, this crisis began when the pastor visited a sangoma to seek supernatural powers. With his wife’s consent, he consulted the dark powers in the hope that his church would grow and his status would be elevated. After paying the required fees and following the rituals, his congregation swelled, his reputation soared and his lifestyle transformed. He bought luxury German SUVs and moved into a double-storey home.
But behind the success, the family was crumbling. Since the day of the ritual, Pastor Tshidada has been unable to be intimate with his wife. Rumours spread that he was instead involved with women in the church. One confrontation exposed him: Mrs Tshidada caught her husband red-handed making love to a married congregant during a supposed midweek “church meeting”. Overcome with pain and frustration, she called the elders, including David, to witness the confrontation.
“We rushed to the scene, where an urgent meeting unfolded,” David recalls.
In that tense gathering, Pastor Tshidada admitted his mistake and begged for forgiveness, pleading that the matter remain private. But Mrs Tshidada revealed the deeper wound: “For three years, this man hasn’t touched me. He can’t even get an erection. So how do you satisfy your mistress when you can’t with me?” She accused him of further affairs, even with young students, claiming people had seen him in hotels with different girls. Pastor Tshidada remained silent, as if conceding to the rumours.
At that point, he asked the elders to excuse his mistress so he could speak only to them and his wife. Mrs Tshidada resisted, but eventually the woman was allowed to leave – though not before being showered with insults: “house breaker, unfaithful woman, useless, not fit for our church.” Mrs Tshidada even spat in her face and shouted “voetsek!”
Overwhelmed, Pastor Tshidada then confessed the truth: “Gentlemen, about three years ago, I consulted a sangoma to strengthen my church. Please don’t judge me – I know it was wrong. But doesn’t the Bible say he who confesses his sins will be forgiven?”
He explained that the sangoma had warned him that the ritual’s price included the permanent loss of intimacy with his wife. At first, he thought it was temporary. Later, when he realised he was completely impotent at home, he returned to plead for a reversal. The sangoma refused: “I told you this comes at a cost. It cannot be undone. You must seek other women – married or young girls.” Pastor Tshidada admitted he had not fully understood the consequences, but now the curse was irreversible. “Instead of reversing it, I am more likely to die,” the sangoma told him.
Mrs Tshidada erupted in anguish: “Why me? Why did you do this just for money? Do you think at my age I can still find a boyfriend? What will the church say?”
The revelation left the elders stunned and the marriage shattered. What began as a quest for power ended in betrayal, secrecy and a devastating personal cost.
Yes – many will say that this is utter nonsense. Sangomas have no such power and it is just a mind game. But the mind is a very powerful instrument and can control behaviour.
VKRA’s warning to the faithful:
· Beware of pastors controlled by greed. When spiritual leaders chase wealth and fame, they risk becoming sheep in wolves’ clothing, deceiving the flock they are meant to guide.
· False power comes at a hidden price. Seeking shortcuts through sangomas or occult practices may bring temporary success, but it destroys integrity, family and faith.
· The church must remain vigilant. Members should not be blinded by material displays – luxury cars, big houses or swelling crowds. True leadership is measured by humility, service and faithfulness.
· Expose deception. Silence protects corruption. Congregations must hold leaders accountable when they stray, lest the entire community suffer.
· Remember the true calling. A pastor’s role is to shepherd souls, not to exploit them for personal gain. Greed corrodes the gospel and leaves devastation in its wake.
* Not his real name