Durban - Members of the Shembe Church in KwaZulu-Natal, one of the largest churches in the country with hundreds of thousands of followers, on Sunday launched a political party in Inanda, Durban, potentially altering the province’s political dynamic.
The church has several branches. A succession battle emerged in eBuhleni in 2011 soon after the death of its leader, Inkosi Vimbeni Shembe.
The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ruled in 2019 that the late Vela Shembe was the church’s leader. However, this was rejected by members of the eBuhleni branch who regard Mduduzi Shembe as the true leader.
The political party, Afrika Unite Congress (AUK), which was launched yesterday, was founded by church members from eBuhleni.
Lizwi Ncwane, AUK president, said the party was an independent organisation and the only link with the church was that its leaders were also members of the Shembe church.
“This has no bearing on the leadership of the party or the spiritual side of the church. It will be incorrect of us to try and submerge the church into the political arena,” Ncwane said.
“Whoever benefits from our church, whether it is Ekuphakameni, Ginyezinye, eBuhleni or Gauteng, they may still continue to seek blessings,” Ncwane said, referring to the various branches of the church.
Ncwane said other separate churches were also involved in the formation of the party and there was support from numerous denominations.
“The fact that I am a member of the church and the president of AUK does not confine the membership of the party to eBuhleni.
“This is a formation for the entire country of South Africa and Africa at large,” Ncwane said during the launch of the draft manifesto yesterday.
Ncwane said the church was formed in 1910, but a decision had been made by members to enter the political arena now because they and (other) citizens of the country were disillusioned with governance issues.
Ncwane said one of their key aims was to define the role to be played by traditional and spiritual leaders in the governance of the country.
He said the party was registering as a political party with the Electoral Commission of South Africa but a decision on whether the party would take part in next year’s elections had yet to be taken.
Political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe said the political space in the country was crowded and church support did not automatically translate into electoral support.
“They can succeed in provincial or national representation as there is heightened disillusionment with rural development.”