Makamu says there is nothing sexual about leaked audio

The founder of Endless Hope Bible Church, bishop Israel Makamu, has been the subject of criticism on social media following a leaked audio with sexual connotations.

In the audio, the host of TV show Rea Tsotella on Moja Love channel on DStv can be heard asking for something from a woman he refers to as “ngwanaka” [my child].

He told her he had just dropped off someone and was coming to her, further asking if anyone would see him if he went to her.

“Are you alone?” he asks.

When she confirmed she had no company, the bishop asked her: “Otlo mpha [will you give me]?”

The woman says no and stands firm in her response to Makamu, who begs for her to change her mind. She tells him she will give him on Sunday.

“Wa bhora, ngwanaka [you are boring, my child],” he told her.

Though social media users have speculated that the bishop was asking for sex from his “child”, Makamu said that wasn’t the case.

According to Moja Love, Makamu maintained his innocence, saying the recording was from 2017.

ALSO READ: So much anger in South Africa, says Bushiri on Mboro losing his cool on TV

“He says the lady in the recording worked for him and their conversation was not sexual in any manner and it was altered to extort money from him. He says he thought the matter had been resolved back then but it suddenly emerged again three weeks ago. Bishop Makamu suspects his character is being assassinated,” said Moja Love in a statement.

Makamu has since stepped down from his duties pending an internal investigation.

“As a channel we will be conducting an internal investigation regarding the matter before bishop Makamu is reinstated back to the channel. Even so, the channel stands firm in establishing two sides to the story and will do a rigorous investigation to establish the truth behind the circumstances of the recording.”

ALSO READ: ‘What are these rich pastors doing for poor pastors?’ Mboro asks

The channel’s head, Bokani Moyo, said they were reaching out to the woman in the recording to establish the circumstances of the audio.

“As a channel, we take this recording very seriously. We have started with an internal investigation and are reaching out to the lady in the recording to find out the events around the recording. One of our properties, AmaBishop, reveals behind the scenes shenanigans that pastors and bishops engage in and impose on the public.

“We cannot ignore a recording of this nature where one of our hosts is implicated. We have to establish the facts and truth before Makamu comes back as part of the team,” Moyo said.