CHURCH RELIEVES PASTOR OF HIS DUTIES FOR ‘WEAK PRAYERS’

NHLANGANO – A senior pastor, who allegedly failed to convert non-believers to Christianity, has been relieved of his duties as a fulltime spiritual mentor.

The pastor, Jeremiah Ndzimandze, who had been with the church for about three years, is said to be demanding E103 000 from the Ekujabuleni Evangelical Church, situated outside Nhlangano following the decision to have him removed.

This comes after senior congregants complained that the pastor was failing in his spiritual roles. Justifying their complaints, they said the church’s membership was not increasing under his leadership as a spiritual mentor.

Some claimed that pastor Ndzimandze’s prayers were weak and never warmed the hearts of non-believers so that they could be influenced to worship at the Evangelical church.   
“The church of Christ must grow in numbers and spiritually. If not the case, the pastor must be replaced,” said one of the church leaders who did not want to be named.

Chairperson of the Ekujabuleni Evangelical Church Sipho Dlamini confirmed that the senior pastor had been relieved of his duties. “The matter of the pastor is being handled by the seniors of the church. He has been stopped as a leader for the Ekujabuleni Evangelical church. At the moment, we have no pastor and we are waiting for the national committee to give us another pastor.”

Dlamini also confirmed that pastor Ndzimandze is demanding E103 000 from the church as compensation after he was removed by the elders. Dlamini said their church has a membership of around 50 congregants. However, he would not be drawn to comment on the circumstances under which Ndzimandze was removed.

Neither would he comment on whether the pastor was paid or not except to state that matter was currently being handled by the church. However, some members said that pastor Ndzimandze had been paid an undisclosed monthly stipend.
Other congregants pointed to an element of what they termed ‘church politics’ on the matter.  Attempts to reach pastor Ndzimandze for comment proved futile.

In the one instance, someone answered his cellphone, but said he wasn’t the right person and that the wrong number had been dialled.
He hung up thereafter.
Conference of Swaziland Churches President, Bishop Steven Masilela, said they had not been informed of the matter and would look into it.

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