ZCC talks collapse
Mpho Mokwape | Tuesday February 9, 2016 12:56
The church had proposed that the members give it a year, to appoint the minister and other structures within the church but the members differed, saying they wanted a six-month period for the appointment of a minister.
After several attempts by the judge to get the two parties to reach a settlement that would allow a consent order, the church refused. This led to the collapse of proposed talks.
Mothobi had earlier told the attorneys for the two parties to go to a negotiating table, and had requested that they write and sign a consent order for the appointment of the minister but the attorney for the church refused.
This forced Justice Mothobi to say the matter would go for arguments, pointing out that it was important because it involved a church with a large following in Botswana.
“The parties agree that there is a constitution and it needs to be followed and this calls for a negotiations with the possibility of a settlement but as it stands this is a case of the other party refusing to cooperate with the other and as such there is nothing much I can do but to set a date for argument of the matter,” Justice Mothobi said.
The lawyer for the church and the bishop, Daniel Swabi, had said despite agreeing on the six months proposal, they would not sign the consent order.
Earlier, the attorney for the members, Uyapo Ndadi, said they had failed to agree on the timeline to set for the appointment of the minister and other structures.
He said it was not a good idea for the order to be signed without the consultation of his clients, who have the final say in the matter.
“We might have agreed on the six months for the appointment of the minister but we have failed to agree on the timeline for other structures,” he said.
Meanwhile, the members who belong to the praise and worship team, Mokhukhu, and led by Tshiamo Tladi, are challenging the leaders for violating the church’s constitution and victimising members.
In their filing notice of September 23, 2015, the Tlokweng group challenges the mother body for failure to appoint a minister for Botswana since the constitution was passed in 2009, why annual general meetings never take place, and unconstitutional appointment of executive members.
The absence of a minister in Botswana causes the church to be in a state of crisis and uncertainty as no one was accountable to lead. As a result, the applicants said, the church was run from outside Botswana.
The case is set for argument on April 8, 2016.