The controversial Seven Ministries Church run by the Mancoba brothers has refused to stop holding services despite threats by the government to shut it down and mounting calls from religious groups to have it disbanded after it was described as a satanic cult by Police Minister Fikile Mbalula.
One of the four surviving brothers told the Dispatch that only God would tell them to stop performing miracles and preaching.
Many have seen the fatal shootout, which claimed the lives of three of the seven Mancoba brothers at the church on Friday, as a beginning of the collapse of the ministry.
But Banele Mancoba, 30, claimed it was the beginning of bigger things.
“This signals the time for us to leave the nest and spread our wings. The church structure, which they are busy threatening to knock down, was brought down by God when it was struck by lightning earlier this year.
“We will go around stadiums performing our miracles and healing people. We are just waiting for God to inform us about the right moment,” claimed Mancoba.
He said the ministry did not recognise the authority of the government or any of the state’s Chapter 9 institutions. It only recognised their version of God.
Banele has implicated his older brother Thandazile Mancoba, who died at the hands of police on Friday night, as the one responsible for the deaths of five Ngcobo policemen and a former soldier.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Banele, 30, said Thandazile, 35, had been a troubled person whom all the other brothers had once chased out of their home for not practising what was preached at the church.
“Even at a young age he was a person who related more with criminals. You would always find him amongst them.”
The controversial church – which is at the centre of the killing of 13 people – was run by Thandazile, 35, Bandile, 30, Phuthumile Mancoba, 31, twins Ephraim and Benjamin, 23, Xolisa Mancoba, 37 and Philile Mancoba, 33. Only six were active in the running of the church, apparently all with equal status excluding Thandazile, said their mother Noluvo Mancoba, 57.
Xolisa, Philile and Thandazile died in a hail of bullets when the church was stormed by the police special task force after receiving a tip-off that the suspected police killers were hiding at the church.
Banele, Ephraim, Benjamin and Phuthumile ran for the hills after a heavy exchange of gunfire ensued at the church.
Banele said he escaped through the back window of his room, joining his brothers who were already hiding behind a water tank.
“We then ran in separate directions. I was only wearing my underwear.
“I spent more than an hour on the mountain then climbed down to spend 30 minutes lying in a pool of murky warm water from a stream,” Banele said.
After that he spent more than four hours near the Nyanga High School premises until dawn.
Banele said he then spotted his brother Ephraim while he was on his way to hand himself over to the police.
“We went together to the police,” he said.
Benjamin was hunted down and arrested after he failed to show up.
Yesterday the Daily Dispatch also saw Ephraim and Phuthumile. Only Benjamin was in police custody, they said. The others were questioned and released.
The church was founded by Siphiwo Mancoba, in 1991. He died on April 13 2015.
Banele said the core values of the church were anti-education.
“My father used to say education without supernatural powers is useless.”
Mancoba said that in 1995 his father removed him from school at the age of eight together with his siblings.
He said Benjamin was a sound engineer, Phuthumile played the piano well and Ephraim was also musician.
Xolisa was a carpenter, Thandazile was a musician and a “warrior”, and he, Banele, was a singer and an unqualified “quantity surveyor”.
Noluvo, who started the church with husband Siphiwo back in 1991, said: “I’m pained by this incident that has been caused to the families of the policeman killed but also I’m heartbroken that innocent people who didn’t do anything, but were here to get healed at this church, were killed.”
Mancoba claims Loyiso Dlambula and Luzuko Mbedu were wrongfully shot by the police.
She said her sons, Xolisa and Philile Mancoba, were also innocent but were mercilessly gunned down in front of their children and wives. — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
Cult leader turns on brother
One of the four surviving brothers told the Dispatch that only God would tell them to stop performing miracles and preaching.
Many have seen the fatal shootout, which claimed the lives of three of the seven Mancoba brothers at the church on Friday, as a beginning of the collapse of the ministry.
But Banele Mancoba, 30, claimed it was the beginning of bigger things.
“This signals the time for us to leave the nest and spread our wings. The church structure, which they are busy threatening to knock down, was brought down by God when it was struck by lightning earlier this year.
“We will go around stadiums performing our miracles and healing people. We are just waiting for God to inform us about the right moment,” claimed Mancoba.
He said the ministry did not recognise the authority of the government or any of the state’s Chapter 9 institutions. It only recognised their version of God.
Banele has implicated his older brother Thandazile Mancoba, who died at the hands of police on Friday night, as the one responsible for the deaths of five Ngcobo policemen and a former soldier.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Banele, 30, said Thandazile, 35, had been a troubled person whom all the other brothers had once chased out of their home for not practising what was preached at the church.
“Even at a young age he was a person who related more with criminals. You would always find him amongst them.”
The controversial church – which is at the centre of the killing of 13 people – was run by Thandazile, 35, Bandile, 30, Phuthumile Mancoba, 31, twins Ephraim and Benjamin, 23, Xolisa Mancoba, 37 and Philile Mancoba, 33. Only six were active in the running of the church, apparently all with equal status excluding Thandazile, said their mother Noluvo Mancoba, 57.
Xolisa, Philile and Thandazile died in a hail of bullets when the church was stormed by the police special task force after receiving a tip-off that the suspected police killers were hiding at the church.
Banele, Ephraim, Benjamin and Phuthumile ran for the hills after a heavy exchange of gunfire ensued at the church.
Banele said he escaped through the back window of his room, joining his brothers who were already hiding behind a water tank.
“We then ran in separate directions. I was only wearing my underwear.
“I spent more than an hour on the mountain then climbed down to spend 30 minutes lying in a pool of murky warm water from a stream,” Banele said.
After that he spent more than four hours near the Nyanga High School premises until dawn.
Banele said he then spotted his brother Ephraim while he was on his way to hand himself over to the police.
“We went together to the police,” he said.
Benjamin was hunted down and arrested after he failed to show up.
Yesterday the Daily Dispatch also saw Ephraim and Phuthumile. Only Benjamin was in police custody, they said. The others were questioned and released.
The church was founded by Siphiwo Mancoba, in 1991. He died on April 13 2015.
Banele said the core values of the church were anti-education.
“My father used to say education without supernatural powers is useless.”
Mancoba said that in 1995 his father removed him from school at the age of eight together with his siblings.
He said Benjamin was a sound engineer, Phuthumile played the piano well and Ephraim was also musician.
Xolisa was a carpenter, Thandazile was a musician and a “warrior”, and he, Banele, was a singer and an unqualified “quantity surveyor”.
Noluvo, who started the church with husband Siphiwo back in 1991, said: “I’m pained by this incident that has been caused to the families of the policeman killed but also I’m heartbroken that innocent people who didn’t do anything, but were here to get healed at this church, were killed.”
Mancoba claims Loyiso Dlambula and Luzuko Mbedu were wrongfully shot by the police.
She said her sons, Xolisa and Philile Mancoba, were also innocent but were mercilessly gunned down in front of their children and wives. — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
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