Johannesburg - Heavy scenes of intimidation were displayed outside the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court, yesterday by members of the United African Transformation and International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) Jerusalem faction led by disgraced Michael Bhekumuzi Sandlana.
Sandlana was appearing on charges of fraud and corruption after his wife, Benedicta Sandlana, was declared dead while she was still alive and fingers pointed to her estranged husband.
The Star has broken several stories on the controversial “Holy Man” and splinter group of the biggest church in Gauteng, the IPHC.
Sandlana reportedly grew up at IPHC’s headquarters, known as Silo, but when the church’s leader, MG Modise, died, he claimed to be Modise’s biological son and the rightful heir to the church. When Modise’s biological son and the church’s current bishop, Leonard Modise, pushed for a DNA test, Sandlana declined.
The NGO Right to Justice came out in full force to assist Sandlana’s victims, calling on all who have been hurt by Sandlana to contact them. A scuffle broke out between the NGO directors and some of Sandlana’s supporters, who attempted to block them from entering the court.
Sandlana’s estranged wife lodged a fraud case at the Sandton police station after she discovered that a death certificate had been issued in her name last year. Sandlana was arrested and released on bail, along with those believed to have helped him commit the alleged fraud.
However, on two occasions, The Star journalists have had to face intimidation tactics from those supposedly protecting Sandlana.
Last week, while appearing on a separate fraud charge at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, his lawyers claimed the media was “attacking” Sandlana through recent news reports on him.
“We want to know who Sithole is and what is his obsession with our client,” a man who identified himself as Sandlana’s lawyer said.
Allegations of murder, fraud, and corruption have rocked Sandlana.
Outside court, an army of his handlers carrying heavy rifles pushed and shoved two of The Star’s journalists and refused to allow pictures of the crowd gathered outside to be taken.
Feeling intimidated, members of The Star team had to flee the scene.
Yesterday, another of the paper’s staff, who tried to take pictures of the gathered crowd, was told not to do so.
Feeling intimated, our photographer had to flee as it became dangerous for her to do her job.
“I was prevented from doing my job. It became clear to me when I was pushed and shoved around and told not to take any pictures that my life was not safe. As a journalist, you can sense danger when your life is threatened. Today was such a day. What made matters worse is that these men were heavily armed, and there were no police or crowd control officials on the scene. It became very scary to work, so I had to flee when it became clear that my life was in danger,” she said.
The court inside was also packed with traditionally clad men as well as visibly armed personnel manning the street and the court precinct while Sandlana made his appearance.
The Star counted no less than 20 buses, which were transporting scores of elderly men and women eager to support Sandlana, as they sang and danced in his support.
The Star