Warring ECG Leaders Headed To Court
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday September 3, 2018 11:49
Suspended leaders of the Gaborone branch have filed a case against national advisory committee (NAC) led by national coordinator Pelotshweu Baeng.
The court case follows a decision by the NAC to suspend five of the leaders who are accused of causing trouble for the church.
The church is entangled in dispute with the government, and was de-registered late last year for amongst other things not submitting audited financial results for two financial years.
The church went on to challenge the government’s decision and was given a lifeline to open pending review application. The High Court then ruled that the church should indeed be de-registered. They were however yet again given a lifeline pending their appeal before the Court of Appeal.
The suspended members are challenging the legitimacy of the NAC. They also accuse Baeng of abusing church funds.
“In November, an annual general meeting was held in Palapye at which Baeng appointed other people to assist him in his mandate to help the Church in complying.
The said group labelled themselves NAC,” reads a statement by Gregory Mfazi and Omphemetse Mpugwa who undersigned themselves as secretary and chairperson of ECG taskforce.
“It must be made clear that such a committee did not exist in the Church constitution and they were not elected by the AGM.”
They accuse Baeng of betraying Pastor Onkabetse Phitshane and suspending him.
“They took over the office, took away the computers, financial records and personnel of the Gaborone Church but to date have failed to comply with the audit requirements expected of them, an issue that led to the Registrar of Societies taking a decision to close the church for non- compliance,” they wrote.
The disgruntled members also slam the NAC for the closure of Gaborone branch claiming that it is the only legal branch as the newly opened ones are not legal.
Baeng has however dismissed the claims stating that the suspended members just want to cause chaos.
“Those are rebels we have suspended from church. They are ringleaders of rebellion against compliance. They are trying to dodge their suspension through the court case.
They cannot be representing the church as their branch is also closed,” he told The Monitor.
Baeng further said they have also filed an application with the courts to restrain the members from claiming to be church leaders.
Baeng said besides the Gaborone issue, all other branches are compliant and cooperating with the NAC.
Even though the suspended members state that the NAC is not recognised by ECG leadership, The Monitor has seen an email from Innocent Nkomo, director at ECG in Pretoria applauding the NAC’s move to close the Gaborone branch temporarily to get their house in order.