Leader of Black First Land First (BLF) Andile Mngxitama joined a crowd of ECG supporters outside court. Pictures: ANA
Black First Land First (BLF) has released a statement thanking self-proclaimed Prophet Shepherd Bushiri for a “very warm welcome” when the party’s leader, Andile Mngxitama, attended his service last Sunday alongside the BLF national leadership.
“BLF appreciates the reception and particularly the word of God that was spoken over the lives of the people,” the statement reads.
The party refers to the religious leader by his affectionate nickname, Major One, thanking him as well as the congregants of his Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church for the “strength, unity and love” they say they experienced there.
“As black people, we remain united in the most trying of times, where all aspects of our lives, including our faith, is tested by racism and its commitment to destroying all black people regardless of our different religious beliefs, political homes, and other differences,” the statement continues.
READ MORE: Bushiri’s arrest a ploy to destroy his popular church, says BLF
“Furthermore, the leadership of BLF wishes to inform the general public that we have visited, engaged and have seen that Prophet Bushiri loves the people, and the people love Major One.”
Mngxitama recently appeared outside the Specialised Corporate Crimes court in Pretoria in support of Bushiri.
The preacher and his wife Mary stand accused of charges including fraud and money laundering and have since been granted bail of R10,000 each.
Mngxitama, who was flanked by ECG members, said: “Our movement, Black First Land First, is the only political movement in South Africa that has come out to support Major One, the prophet. The sad thing is that many of these political parties, their leaders, when they want blessings and anointment, they come to Major One. Today, because he is in trouble, they all ran away. We are the only ones that have come out because we are on the side of the truth.
“We know that Major One is being persecuted by this government because he is a black man who is successful out of his own effort and blessings from his God. The reason why [ECG] is under attack is because black people are abandoning the white establishment churches because there is no spirituality there.”
READ MORE: Mngxitama supports Bushiri because he’s ‘targeted for being Malawian’
BLF also said the arrests were part of a white capitalist ploy “to shut down certain black churches with massive followings that are problematic to the ruling class”.
BLF deputy president Zanele Lwana said: “At the same time, the sins of the clergy including sexual offences, fraud, corruption, and money laundering in white churches go unpunished.
“BLF has opened multiple cases with the SAPS which are high profile against white offenders involving similar allegations to that of Bushiri – of fraud, corruption and money laundering.
“None of the perpetrators have been arrested and/or interrogated by the Hawks. BLF believes that this is because the prevailing white power structure allows whites to act criminally with impunity. Blacks, on the other hand, are guilty without any proven prior transgression.”
(Compiled by Daniel Friedman. Additional reporting by ANA)
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