The Modise church was trending for two days on social media after the AmaBhishop TV show aired on Sunday. Some may know the International Pentecost Holiness Church (IPHC) popularly known as Modise church for its soothing music and mass gatherings. However South African viewers got to hear accounts of the many grievances at IPHC Modise church.
AmaBishop TV show on Moja Love, DSTV channel 157 is a roundtable discussion hosted seasoned broadcaster Nimrod Nkosi. Different church leaders are invited to shed some light on hard questions and hope for truthful answers. The scandals between various members and pastors in the church were reportedly sparked by a succession battles to leadership.
In the episode, we heard accusations against Modise church pastors who allegedly bought guns from the hostels, faked RAF accident claims, abuse and divorce scandals. Viewers of the Moja Love show took to twitter in shock and disbelief. Here are were some of the sentiments in the trending hash tag #AmaBishop;
He preached to millions of people but today his legacy is being destroyed by his own grandchildren #AmaBishop pic.twitter.com/BzwdbyJyuI
β DR GLEN PHD (@DrGlen01) March 20, 2022
Modise church (IPHC) is hijacked by a thug.
β The Lord Of Engineering (@moabelo_tshepo) March 20, 2022
Modise brothers were supposed to work together against this crook Sandlana. #AmaBishop
I still think, like last season, that they should permanently replace Phiri with Pastor Makhado on the #AmaBishop panel. pic.twitter.com/qXe53EMCsf
β Mbaliyezwe Ndlela (@mbali_ndlela) March 20, 2022
The problem is that cult leaders are never wrong in their followers’ view. It doesn’t matter what the likes of Pastor Zondo, Pastor Mboro, Pastor Alpha Lukau, Prophet Bushiri say, howover blatantly false or ubsurd, their followers will still follow and defend. #AmaBishop
β Manβs NOT Barry Roux ο£Ώ (@AdvoBarryRoux) March 20, 2022
Death of Church Founding Member and 3 Factions
Glayton Modise who was the leader of the IPHC passed on in 2016. Β Reverend Frederick Samuel Modise founded the church in 1962 and his son Glayton Modise took over leadership from him in 1998.Β
Factions in the church began to arise soon after Reverend Glayton’s death. It is alleged that there is a Jerusalem branch faction which favored Michael Sandlana, a Leonard Modise faction and a Tshepiso faction that have claimed the right to the leadership of the IPHC.
Church Hostage Situation and Shooting Incident
A group of armed members faction reportedly broke into the church and harassed church members. The church has big premises where church members camp overnight with some living in church premises permanently.
On one Saturday, church members and a splinter group apparently clashed over leadership of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church in the Zuurbekom branch, west of Johannesburg. More than 200 members were held hostage by armed pastors supporters and were later rescued by police intervention.
Hostage situation and shooting -International Pentecost Holiness Church in Zuurbekom West Rand. Police 30 suspects arrested and over 25 firearms seized. Reports five people dead. pic.twitter.com/4vi9pASQNp
β Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) July 11, 2020
Hostage Case Struck Off Court Roll
Two years have passed since the horrific church attack in the Zuurbekom’s IPHC. On that day, five people were killed in the hostage situation at the International Pentecost Holiness Church in Zuurbekom.
Police had to intervene and arrested more than 30 gunmen and seized more than two dozen firearms.
The hostage case has since been reportedly struct off the court roll according to disgruntled victims of the unfortunate event. The church members asked the NPA to open an inquest into the death of the 5 members.
Seemingly, the police had no substantial evidence in court that the arrested men on the day were positively linked to the fatal gun wounds. The police allegedly arrested the wrong people and there was no substantial evidence to prosecute further. It is reported that none of the ammunition found on that day belonged to any of the arrested men.