Bishop held for murder plot

2009-07-06 22:08

Johannesburg - A Zion church bishop appeared in the Mhala Magistrate's Court on Monday for conspiring to murder a rival in a succession battle, Mpumalanga police said.

Jafta Mabuza, 40, allegedly paid a Bushbuckridge man R10 000 to murder his rival, Bishop Daniel Mashele, 46, said Captain Leonard Hlathi in a statement.

The hired assassin, however, reneged on the arrangement. Mabuza then allegedly hired a second man, this time in Soweto, Johannesburg, and promised him R20 000. Both alleged assassins approached the police and informed them about the plan.

"Mabuza allegedly plotted to assassinate Mashele because of squabbles in the church."

Their dispute dates back to 2006 after the death of Mabuza's father, Bishop Reckson Mabuza, and a spat over who would succeed him as leader of the Zion Apostolic church in Thulamahashe.

Ordained self as new bishop

"Mashele was allegedly favoured to take over as the bishop of the church, as he was in actual fact the vice-bishop of Reckson Mabuza.

"The alleged news that Mashele should become the next bishop did not go down well with [Jafta] Mabuza."

Jafta Mabuza then ordained himself the new bishop and declared that the leadership of the church would remain in his family's hands.

After this, Mashele left to form his own church - taking with him many of Mabuza's congregants.

"This allegedly angered Mabuza and he then sourced a plan to eliminate Mashele," said Hlathi.

After the two men hired to kill Mashele confessed, police arrested Mabuza last Thursday.

He was granted R1 500 bail and would appear in court again on August 3.

- SAPA