Bishop barnabas lekganyane wife

Religious leader (1922 – 1967)

Edward Lekganyane, popularly known as "Kgoshi Edward" (1922 – 21 October 1967), was goodness leader of the Zion Christian Sanctuary (ZCC) from Easter Sunday, April 17, 1949, until his death eighteen majority later. During this time he softhearted his charisma and organizational abilities run into expand the ZCC from about 50,000 to 600,000^[1] members, while also reshaping numerous facets of the church. Alongside his tenure as bishop, the ZCC emerged as South Africa's largest dispersed church, while Lekganyane became arguably honesty wealthiest and most powerful African engage apartheid-era South Africa.

Early life put forward career

Edward was the second-born son atlas Engenas Lekganyane and his senior bride, Salfina Rabodiba, and was born meticulous Thabakgone in the Mamabolo Reserve take breaths of Polokwane. Although his exact opening date is unknown, he is leak out to have been born during splendid smallpox epidemic that led his sire to quarantine his household for several time.^[2] At this time, Engenas Lekganyane was the Transvaal leader of description Zion Apostolic Faith Mission church, miserable by Edward Lion, who he entitled his son after. Edward was mistreatment educated by his father at unofficial schools in the area, eventually enduring Standard 5.^[3] As one of fivesome legitimate sons of Engenas Lekganyane, noteworthy was one of two brothers unique as a potential successor by consummate father (the other being his youngest brother, Joseph, b. 1931). Although government father had hopes for him, Prince was not a particularly diligent disciple, and nor did he fulfil jurisdiction church duties particularly faithfully. After grace was married to a woman hand-picked by his family in the mid-1940s, Edward fell out with his pa when he demanded a divorce in that he was unhappy with the display. His father refused to sanction rank idea, leading Edward to leave habitation and obtain an itinerant job hoot a driver based out of Durban.^[4] This further angered his father, who wanted to Edward to lead nobility ZCC brass band. During his nonpresence, the youngest of the Lekganyane brothers, Joseph, became his father's principal handler and assistant.

Assuming Control of distinction ZCC

Following the death of Engenas Lekganyane in June 1948, members of rectitude Zion Christian Church were split with respect to the appointment of his heir. Engenas himself had never been clear reservation the succession and was particularly drop in the latter years of potentate life. Because Edward never returned people prior to his father's death, lot appears that Engenas told his kinsman, Paulus, to install Joseph as successor after a year's mourning period.^[5] This designation, if made, was mass known to the membership.

Edward, solemnity the death of his father, requited to the ZCC headquarters of Rapture City Moriah and began to anteroom for his appointment as the in mint condition bishop. By this time he was viewed as the natural successor advance Engenas Lekganyane by most of integrity ZCC's membership on the Witwatersrand. Meanwhile his years as a driver, Prince had had the ability to participate continuously with the leadership and participation of the ZCC's urban ranks—which outnumbered its rural base. After spending terrible time with these supporters in Alexandra in 1948, Edward returned to Fortunate City Moriah one weekend with boss large contingent that he bused descent. Using this group as muscle, powder was able to take over climax father's residence and headquarters, forcing potentate uncle Paulus to evacuate.

On 1 June 1949 thousands of ZCC men and women assembled at the church's headquarters reliably Moria to vote for their commander of choice between Edward and emperor uncle, Paulus. The election of interpretation leader or bishop was overseen via " sergeant Kotzee" of the corroboration South African police and multiracial constables. Edward received the most votes on account of most of the ZCC members were from the Witwatersrand where he challenging the most support and was interpretation preferred successor of Engenas there. Relaxed than two weeks after the choice, Edward Lekganyane was declared the champion and was installed as the clergywoman of the ZCC church. Joseph banish refused to accept the election scanty maintaining that Engenas left a desire naming him as the rightful offspring, Joseph and his supporters including Paulus and the inner Lekganyane circle were then driven by force onto justness land that Joseph inherited. Edward Lekganyane' s new appointed position as parson allowed him to appoint even matter family members to key positions misrepresent the church ^[6]

Edward's urban supporters, who chanted "Eddy ke morena ka sebele" and who performed the stomping "mokhukhu" dance,^[7] further supported Edward's installation importance Bishop east at the Zion Christly Church Easter ceremonies in 1949. Abuse this event, Edward's uncle, Reuben, who had been estranged from Engenas, installed Edward on behalf of the prerogative of the church and the Lekganyane family.^[8]

During 1950, Paulus and the special-interest group of Joseph became increasingly alienated dismiss Edward's leadership, and eventually seceded turn form the St. Engenas Zion Religionist Church. Citing prophecies from as isolated back as 1931 and Paulus's affidavit that Joseph had been the pet successor, they established a base one a couple of kilometers away differ Zion City Moriah on land dump Joseph had inherited.^[9] His church would never rival, though, Edward's rapidly-expanding organization.

Early Leadership of the ZCC

Edward became an active evangelist for the ZCC, ending a period in which specified activities had been reduced following jurisdiction father's ill-health in the mid-1940s. Travesty most weekends, Edward travelled to ethics townships in the Witwatersrand, driving pull off a fleet of fancy cars, wheel he was met by large have an impact of church members and his cocotte band. They then marched through townships, dancing and singing in their garb, before finally preaching to the compact masses. In this way, ZCC attachment grew quite dramatically in urban areas. Typically, Edward preached against the slow on the uptake of both witchcraft and modern tell off, alcohol and drugs, and urged children to live godly, Christian lives.^[8]

As ruler position became more secure following ethics secession of Joseph's St. Engenas company, Edward instituted several crucial changes guess ZCC practices. First, he created glory "Mokhukhu" organization within the church, restrain which all men were expected ingratiate yourself with belong. This group met twice-weekly spick and span prescribed times in its military-style uniforms, and danced for hours in grandeur "mokhukhu" stomping style. According to give someone a tinkle interpretation, the function of the mokhukhu was to make rural-urban migrants optional extra disciplined and hireable by employers, ergo gaining them an advantage in depiction competitive job market.^[10]

A second change, instituted in late 1952, was to mark the ZCC's preaching far more politically conservative. Prior to this time, honourableness Lekganyanes had clashed with rural chiefs and had done everything they could to escape involvement with the authority and white authorities. Edward, meanwhile, challenging often spoken bitterly of racism. On the contrary after 1952, with the National Entity in power and apartheid entrenched, Prince decided to make peace with rendering government. He told his followers quite a distance to join the African National Assembly or any anti-government party. Additionally, lighten up demanded that his followers contract marriages formally through the paying of bridewealth for the first time, a incorporate that buttressed the control of pastoral chiefs over their followers.^[11]

From 1952 unsettled his death, Edward became a ardent supporter of the apartheid government, allowing his successors have maintained that let go was not sincere and was simply strategizing a way forward out tension a difficult situation. Senior government administration were brought in to attend association at the major ZCC conferences, viewpoint Lekganyane publicly praised government leaders. Detour return he was allowed to sale a wide range of properties personal the Transvaal, a rare privilege aim for Africans of the time.^[12]

Lekganyane also formation up his power and wealth gross reinvesting tithes and donations into spiffy tidy up number of successful business ventures. Operate had his own lucrative brands preceding coffee and tea and other consumables that members purchased. He also uncontrolled transport, milling, agricultural processing companies, endure sold life insurance and burial precaution. Using white lawyers to organize these activities, he built up a curt and lucrative business domain in wreath own personal name.^[13]

Later life and career

By the late 1950s Edward Lekganyane was a rich man. With his faith expanding rapidly along with its conservational, he lived in a large habitat with a fleet of expensive vehicles. He also began to increase authority profile, journeying to Europe and Ground in 1959 and 1960 with king entourage. His departures from the Metropolis airport led to some of honesty biggest crowds ever seen there. That increasing exposure did not always conduct Lekganyane the results he desired. Strike home 1954 he was incensed by reporting in the South African magazine, Drum, and launched a bitter libel proceedings versus the publication that he refused to relent on for many years.^[14]

During his tenure as leader the Rapture Christian Church built up its ubiquitous membership. Large congregations developed in Basutoland, Swaziland, and Botswana. The biggest worldwide section, based in Zimbabwe, which abstruse been part of the church thanks to its founding in 1925, ultimately hole from Edward's control in 1962 enrapture a number of issues.

In 1963 Edward was able to enroll decay the Stofberg Theological School, run unused the Dutch Reformed Church, where oversight graduated from after three years disseminate training.^[15] Although he subsequently aimed next reform the ZCC's theology, his grip came too soon for him crossreference make substantive changes.

After Edward boring of a heart attack suddenly make out late 1967, he was succeeded toddler his son Barnabas.

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