The Eswatini Conference of Churches (ECC) convened 10 meetings with congregants of the Africa Evangelical Church (AEC) in a concerted effort to resolve the ongoing disputes affecting the denomination.
This was revealed by ECC Chief Executive Officer, Pastor Themba Ngozo, yesterday following a disturbing incident at another Africa Evangelical Church branch.
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On Sunday, a pastor allegedly assaulted a member of the AEC Regional Executive Committee with fists and reportedly brandished a bushknife while issuing threats.
Related: DRAMA AT AEC: Pastor assaults, draws bushknife in church
Ngozo stated that the Conference of Churches had been actively engaged in efforts to resolve the internal disputes within the AEC, which is affiliated under their organisation.
He acknowledged the complexity of the situation but affirmed their commitment to supporting the church through the challenges, saying they were doing their utmost as the mother body to restore stability.
He urged congregants to remain patient as they continued mediating between the affected members and AEC executive in pursuit of a resolution.
“The most difficult part is that while we engage some members, others continue acting independently. We appeal to the AEC to allow us to complete our processes so we can assess whether unity and progress are still possible within the church,” said the CEO.
Ngozo noted that the Conference, as the mother body, held several meetings with the church to address the escalating tensions.
The recent assault incident involving a pastor allegedly attacking a member of the AEC Regional Executive Committee followed another confrontation at the Mankayane branch, where the executive arrived to perform duties only to find the church locked and congregants ordered out.
In addition, 15 AEC pastors were recently served with suspension letters. These pastors had spent four days in prison after being found in contempt of court for defying a High Court order that prohibited them from hosting a four-day church conference at Inyandza High School between August 28 and 31.
Related: AEC Pastors Released on Bail After 4 Nights in Jail for Contempt of Court
The ongoing turmoil is rooted in legal battles between the AEC Board of Directors and a group of excommunicated pastors, with tensions continuing to disrupt church operations across multiple branches.
Meanwhile, AEC Eswatini Regional Secretary Anson Zwane confirmed that the Conference of Churches had engaged both the executive and the affected pastors separately.
He said they were summoned to give their perspectives so the mother body could gain a balanced understanding of the situation.
Zwane noted that the engagements with the mother body were ongoing, with regular updates being shared on developments within the AEC.
Council of Churches General Secretary Vusi Kunene expressed sympathy for all parties affected by the recent altercation, stating that the council was not fully aware of the underlying issues that led to the violent incident.
He condemned the conduct, emphasising that church disputes should never escalate into physical confrontations.
“The Word of God offers clear guidance on how divisions within the church should be handled. There are established structures and church bodies equipped to intervene in such matters,” he said.
He added that the Council of Churches had trained mediators available to assist any church experiencing internal conflict.
“We were aware that the matter had reached the courts, and had hoped that the rulings would be respected. While we may not know the full details, we urge the church to seek peaceful resolutions that uphold the integrity of the Gospel.”
Kunene said Sunday’s incident was particularly troubling, as it was shocking to see a weapon inside a church — a place regarded as safe.
“Such incidents are among the reasons there is a strong call for government to regulate churches. We understand their intention is to protect the lives of Emaswati. The AEC should resolve its internal issues peacefully so that no one is harmed,” he said.
League of African Churches President Professor Archbishop Samson Hlatjwako said the situation within the AEC had reached worrying levels.
He expressed shock that a pastor could preach while carrying a weapon, calling the act unacceptable.
“If there are challenges within the church, there should be less fighting and more prayer. We believe the matter is already before the courts. The prime minister has also addressed this issue, and we are now at a point where even indlunkhulu might consider closing down churches, though that would sadly affect innocent people, including children. Blood was nearly spilt in church,” he said.
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