Members of Ebuhleni faction of the Nazareth Baptist Church say they are preparing to climb Nhlangakazi holy mountain.
|||Memebers of Ebuhleni faction of the Nazareth Baptist (Shembe) Church say they are preparing to climb Nhlangakazi holy mountain to hold the church’s annual pilgrimage despite a court interdict.
The church is divided into the Ebuhleni, Ekuphakameni and Ginyezinye factions and they take turns in climbing the mountain, to avert clashes.
The Durban High Court has ordered that the Ebuhleni faction remain without a leader until it chooses between Inkosi Mduduzi Shembe and Inkosi Vela Shembe.
The leader normally gives an instruction to climb the mountain, but elders said congregants could go to the mountain without an instruction from the inkosi.
The factions signed an un-dertaking at Inanda police station on December 31 that Ekuphakameni would climb the mountain on January 2, followed by Ginyezinye on January 23, and then by Ebuhleni.
However, it is alleged that Mduduzi Shembe gave an instruction for Ebuhleni followers to climb the mountain on Sunday.
Members of the Ekuphakameni faction are on the mountain and are to return on January 15.
Police spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker confirmed that police were on the mountain to maintain peace and order among the pilgrims.- The Mercury