Rising musical star Naledi Aphiwe Myongwane is in hot water following her remarks on the Shembe church.
The commotion started when netizens criticised the church’s mass engagement that recently took place at Sipholi, eBuhleni, in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
People complained about older men courting young virgins with the intention of making them their wives.
Lambasted church for older men and young girls
The Ngiyabonga hitmaker joined the debate and lambasted the church practice.
In a series of posts, she wrote: “I’d rather be single than become a widow at such a young age. You can see these grandpas can die anytime.
“I’m involving myself because these grandpas will be suffering from high blood pressure anytime from now. And I’ll need to give them injection.
“I’ll judge you until you ask for divorce. So every morning you’ll be waking up next to this old man. These grandpas must be taken to old age home and leave our sisters alone,” wrote Myongwane.
The messages offended members of the church.
Spokesperson for the Shembe Church, Thokozani Mncwabe, said that the religious institution is offended by Naledi’s remarks.
Shembe church not amused
“We’ve noted her remarks and we want to warn her. She must stop criticising our church because we are not paying attention to her. We also don’t involve ourselves in her music business, so she must leave us alone.”
“She is young but she is a lost soul, troubled by her own demons. Unfortunately we don’t have time for such people. But if she wants our attention, she’ll get it. For now she must go for a deep cleansing and consult with her ancestors,” said Mncwabe.
He said that Myongwane and the critics are bashing the church because they do not understand its rules.
Church denies that brides are underage
“People must understand that no one is forced to get married and these girls are over 18 years old. What people see on social media is not the wedding but it’s only the beginning of the process. It’s a formal engagement between the couple, it initiates the lobola and other marriage processes. I’m explaining this so people can stop speculating,” he said.
Naledi’s manager, Londie, who declined to give her surname, said everyone is talking about this.
“Naledi is a child. She was joking just like everyone. We’re not going to comment on this,” said Londie.
