Tshepiso Modise, the leader of the biggest faction of the International Pentecost Holiness Church (IPHC), which has fragmented into three groups, has turned the popular Modise home in Meadowlands, Soweto, into a heritage site.
Tshepiso officially unveiled the heritage site on July 8 at a low-key function attended by the church’s senior leaders and the City of Joburg officials, who mounted a blue plaque emblazoned with the history of the house and the IPHC founder, Frederick Modise.
The purpose of converting the home into a heritage site is to canonise Frederick, enhance tourism in Soweto, and document the history of South Africa’s third-largest church.
Narrating the history of the house, Tshepiso, who is the firstborn child of the late Glayton Modise, the son of the founder, said the house, which is located on the bustling Rev Frederick Modise Drive — also named after the founder — has a rich history because in 1955, during the forced removals that were carried out by the apartheid regime, families from Sophiatown relocated to Meadowlands and other Soweto townships.
Tshepiso stated that the Native Resettlement Board used the house as a reception office during this turbulent period.
The Native Resettlement Board provided the displaced residents with a pint of milk and two loaves of bread as a small gesture of sustenance upon their arrival before directing them to their new homes.
Born in 1914 in the small village of Rooiberg, near Bela Bela in Limpopo, Frederick’s early life was characterised by poverty and hardship, which shaped his empathetic approach to ministry, according to Tshepiso.
His grandfather’s journey, he said, from a labourer to a revered religious leader is a testament to the transformative power of faith and charismatic leadership.
“My grandfather’s early years were marked by struggle. He worked in various low-paying jobs, including as a miner, experiencing first-hand the harsh conditions faced by the working class.
“He became a ZCC minister in Meadowlands, a carpenter, and one of the richest undertakers in the area.
“In 1962, a severe illness led to a transformative spiritual experience for him.
“While bedridden, he reported having a vision in which he was visited by God, who revealed to him his divine calling.
“After he was admitted to Coronationville Hospital on September 12, 1962, at midnight, a voice told him to pray.
“This vision was the genesis of the International Pentecost Holiness Church, as he felt compelled to spread the message of divine healing and salvation,” he said.
Tshepiso went on to say that after his grandfather’s awakening, he founded the church and started his ministry in Meadowlands, Soweto.
He said his reputation as a healer and prophet quickly spread, drawing many
followers seeking both spiritual solace and physical healing.
He said that the church established its headquarters in Zuurbekom, west of Johannesburg, which became a pilgrimage destination for members seeking healing and spiritual renewal.
