By SIKHO NTSHOBANE, ZIPO-ZENKOSI NCOKAZI and LULAMILE FENI
The Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA) is in shock following the murder of one of its bishops, Thembinkosi Fandaleki, who died in his car after a gunshot wound on Monday night.
The 54-year-old Fandaleki was serving as bishop of the MCSA’s Clarkebury district, which has its head office in Mthatha.
Mthatha police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela said the incident took place at Craister Street in Mthatha shortly before midnight.
“At this stage we are not sure what the motive was but his car was found crashed into the wall of a building and he was inside,” the spokesman said.
“We suspect that he might have already been dead when the car crashed with huge impact into the wall.” Fatyela confirmed that the bishop had been shot once in the chest and had possibly died as a result of the bullet wound.
He said a case of murder had been opened and was being investigated.
Fandaleki’s murder comes just four years after another popular priest, the Reverend Sibongile “Doctor” Poncana was shot 13 times in full view of his young daughters, in Mthatha in July 2013.
Poncana was the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of South Africa’s Transkei regional head.
Poncana’s murderers were never arrested.
Bishop Ziphozihle Siwa, the presiding bishop of the Methodist Church, yesterday expressed shock and sadness at Fandaleki’s slaying.
He said Fandaleki had been a minister since 1989 and had served the church with distinction in many stations, including Nelspruit, Khayelitsha and KwaBhaca where he was elected as bishop of Clarkebury District to serve from last year to 2018.
Fandaleki had recently been re-elected as bishop in the same district to serve a further five-year term from 2018.
“His death is a huge loss to his wife Sindiswa and children and to the church as a whole. May his soul rest in peace,” Siwa said.
OR Tambo district municipality mayor Nomakhosazana Meth, who is a member of the church, expressed her shock at the bishop’s murder.
She described Fandaleki as one of the pillars in the district.
“This is shocking. We are very saddened, both as the members of the church and the district municipality. He contributed immensely to the development of the chaplaincy in the district.
“Bishop Fandaleki was one of the priests in the district who showed immense support of the programmes of the district municipality, and towards moral regeneration and fighting social ills,” the distraught mayor said.
Meth will lead a delegation to visit the bereaved Fandaleki family at KwaBhaca tomorrow.
The South Africa Council of Churches’ Eastern Cape president Bishop Andile Mbete and his OR Tambo district counterpart, the Reverend Vusumzi Mabo, lashed out at the murder of the bishop and sent messages of condolences to the family.
“We have learnt with sore hearts at the departure of our beloved colleague.
“It is a big reminder that the church is in the world although not governed by the world.
“Bishops and priests are human beings and we have heard many times things that make us wonder.
“We hope that police will investigate thoroughly the killing of Bishop Fandeleki,” said Mbete, who is also a Methodist bishop.
Mabo said: “We strongly condemn this barbaric and cowardly act.
“The killers of Bishop Fandeleki should be brought to book soon and police must investigate thoroughly.
“This is shocking news and the whole Christian community and the people of OR Tambo are devastated by the murder.”
Fandaleki will be laid to rest at his home at the Mount Frere Showgrounds on Thursday next week. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za / ziphon@dispatch.co.za / lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
Shock, anger over killing of bishop
The Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA) is in shock following the murder of one of its bishops, Thembinkosi Fandaleki, who died in his car after a gunshot wound on Monday night.
The 54-year-old Fandaleki was serving as bishop of the MCSA’s Clarkebury district, which has its head office in Mthatha.
Mthatha police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela said the incident took place at Craister Street in Mthatha shortly before midnight.
“At this stage we are not sure what the motive was but his car was found crashed into the wall of a building and he was inside,” the spokesman said.
“We suspect that he might have already been dead when the car crashed with huge impact into the wall.” Fatyela confirmed that the bishop had been shot once in the chest and had possibly died as a result of the bullet wound.
He said a case of murder had been opened and was being investigated.
Fandaleki’s murder comes just four years after another popular priest, the Reverend Sibongile “Doctor” Poncana was shot 13 times in full view of his young daughters, in Mthatha in July 2013.
Poncana was the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of South Africa’s Transkei regional head.
Poncana’s murderers were never arrested.
Bishop Ziphozihle Siwa, the presiding bishop of the Methodist Church, yesterday expressed shock and sadness at Fandaleki’s slaying.
He said Fandaleki had been a minister since 1989 and had served the church with distinction in many stations, including Nelspruit, Khayelitsha and KwaBhaca where he was elected as bishop of Clarkebury District to serve from last year to 2018.
Fandaleki had recently been re-elected as bishop in the same district to serve a further five-year term from 2018.
“His death is a huge loss to his wife Sindiswa and children and to the church as a whole. May his soul rest in peace,” Siwa said.
OR Tambo district municipality mayor Nomakhosazana Meth, who is a member of the church, expressed her shock at the bishop’s murder.
She described Fandaleki as one of the pillars in the district.
“This is shocking. We are very saddened, both as the members of the church and the district municipality. He contributed immensely to the development of the chaplaincy in the district.
“Bishop Fandaleki was one of the priests in the district who showed immense support of the programmes of the district municipality, and towards moral regeneration and fighting social ills,” the distraught mayor said.
Meth will lead a delegation to visit the bereaved Fandaleki family at KwaBhaca tomorrow.
The South Africa Council of Churches’ Eastern Cape president Bishop Andile Mbete and his OR Tambo district counterpart, the Reverend Vusumzi Mabo, lashed out at the murder of the bishop and sent messages of condolences to the family.
“We have learnt with sore hearts at the departure of our beloved colleague.
“It is a big reminder that the church is in the world although not governed by the world.
“Bishops and priests are human beings and we have heard many times things that make us wonder.
“We hope that police will investigate thoroughly the killing of Bishop Fandeleki,” said Mbete, who is also a Methodist bishop.
Mabo said: “We strongly condemn this barbaric and cowardly act.
“The killers of Bishop Fandeleki should be brought to book soon and police must investigate thoroughly.
“This is shocking news and the whole Christian community and the people of OR Tambo are devastated by the murder.”
Fandaleki will be laid to rest at his home at the Mount Frere Showgrounds on Thursday next week. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za / ziphon@dispatch.co.za / lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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