International Pentecostal Holiness Church succession battle spills onto streets

The International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) Jerusalem group has accused the police of being “captured” and dragging their steps in examining their cases.

On Monday, hundreds of members of the group marched to police headquarters in Tshwane to present a statement of demands.

IPHC Jerusalem spokeswoman Vusi Ndala accused members of the other church groups of “colluding with police” and pressing unjustified allegations against them.

He said two brothers are contesting for the leadership of the church.

“Some members who are affiliated to the other factions [are colluding with police]. There are officers and members of law-enforcement agencies who are abusing state resources to fight the factional battles,” Ndala said.

“They work with rogue police officers. There are police that we believe are captured and they use tactics such as a hasty arrests on unwarranted charges.”

Ndala called on police officials to intervene and fast-track investigations in their pending cases.

“We are here to say to the police minister: can you please assist us in arresting and addressing these rogue police so that we are not harassed or intimidated?

“The cases that we opened since 2018 have not moved at all. We have over 2,000 cases. However, when there is a case of those unwarranted charges against us, there is haste to arrest and charge,” he said.

William Makgabo, an executive of the church who claimed he was also a “victim of unwarranted charges”, agreed.

“There are so many cases that are opened against members of IPHC and they are orchestrated by certain individuals working with police. The minister must intervene in this. There is a serious rot and corruption happening in the department,” he said.

The memorandum by the group was accepted by a representative of the police.

The IPHC has been plagued by conflict for years. Divisions began after the death of leader Glayton Modise in 2016. Since then, three factions have emerged:

• the Jerusalem faction, led by Michael Sandlana;
• the Leonard Modise faction, based at the headquarters in Zuurbekom; and
• the Tshepiso Modise faction, based in the East Rand.