Bushiri under probe in SA

South Africa-based Malawian prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) are under investigation in the Rainbow Nation for, among others, alleged heavy-handedness through commercialised selling of religion and abuse of people’s beliefs.

Media reports indicate that South Africa’s Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural‚ Religious and Linguistic Communities has undertaken the probe in response to concerns raised by a cross section of society.

The commission has instituted investigations into several other church ministries while fresh revelations allegedly indicate that Bushiri’s ECG charges congregants 5 000 rand (about K200 000) to have one-on-one ‘divine’ sessions with their prophet.

However, ECG says the money from the sessions with Bushiri is not used to enrich the prophet, according to a front page report in South Africa’s daily newspaper The Sowetan.

In its report, the newspaper claims ECG representatives that appeared before the commission investigating “dodgy pastors” in alleged commercialised selling of religion said the stipulated 5 000 rand was “not really a fee”.

“The money covered each church member’s accommodation, transport and food,” the paper quotes an ECG representative, Mirriam Motsolo, as having said.

While in the 2014/15 financial year the church collected 639 938 rand (about K26 million), this year alone they have amassed 1.2 million rand (about K48 million), according to Motsolo.

The Sowetan reports: “The commission has since found the church was in breach of the Non-profit Organisation Act because it had not been audited though registered as an NPO.”

During the commission’s hearing, it was further revealed that the ECG also accepts prophetic seeding from people who want to partner with the free-to-air ministry channel.

“Seeding is when you have a special need and what you are trusting God for. [You] plant it and expect to harvest at a later season,” the paper quotes evangelist Trity Pretorius as having said.

However, while the church claims it has a social responsibility to help economically poor church members during funerals, Motsolo said the prophetic seeding money was not sent to Malawi, but was used for Bushiri’s travel and accommodation.

In September this year, Bushiri caused a stir when he held a Miracle Crusade in Mzuzu where those wishing to meet him in person were asked to pay. Some also complained and questioned why ECG was selling anointing water, anointing oil and other spiritual items.

Besides Bushiri’s ECG, other churches under probe in South Africa are River of Living Waters, Agape International Ministries and Incredible Happenings Church.

All those summoned to the hearings are required to produce their ordination certificate, church registration certificate, bank statements and the annual financial statements dating back to 2012.

Bushiri’s media team promised to get back to The Nation when contacted. However, as we went to press, there was no response from the team. n