Gospel artist and bishop of Worship Centre of Community Church Jonas Masotla has been accused of breaking the marriage of the couple who asked him to save it from crumbling.
Pastor Welcome Khumalo claims that he moved to America permanently as he could not repair the damage that was done to his marriage to his wife Thembi, after Masotla allegedly had a secret extra-marital affair with her.
The affair was captured in a phone recording in which the man of the cloth is heard flirting with Khumalo’s wife after an apparent visit to her at her workplace last year.
In the recording, which Sunday World is privy to, Masotla, who was married to his first wife at the time, is heard telling Khumalo’s wife that he was “craving her” and “wanted to kiss her”.
The one-minute-ten-second call recording starts with Khumalo’s wife asking Masotla if he had arrived safely at his destination after visiting her.
He replied by saying he had arrived well before asking her why she did not leave with him.
He proceeds to tell her that had she left with him, he would have wanted to get a kiss – and more from her.
“I wanted a kiss,” Khumalo’s wife responded.
“But you did not tell me that. I also wanted it,” Masotla shot back.
Khumalo’s wife then told him to return for a kiss he desired.
Mosotla responds by saying “I came for counselling. I was just worried about your spirit. I am just happy to see you smiling… I owe you a kiss. I might ask you for more.”
The love-struck Khumalo’s wife laughed and then agreed to have their tryst before the Easter conference.
Speaking to Sunday World from his workplace in the US this week, Khumalo said he was made aware of the recording by Masotla’s ex-wife last year.
“She made me aware of it last year in April and said she tried to stop them from going on but failed [and]that is why she decided to approach me. She said she came to know about them two years ago,” Khumalo said.
He added that he was heartbroken that Masotla ruined his marriage, and was struggling to move on with life, and needed the world to know the kind of man he is.
“I went sick for four days because I could not accept it considering that Bishop Masotla was like a father to me. I respected this man with all my heart,” he added.
He said he confronted Masotla, who told him he had to accept that besides being a spiritual leader, he was also a man.
When contacted for comment, Masotla did not deny that he was recorded on the call with Khumalo’s wife.
He said he apologised to the affected parties and wanted the matter to be put to rest.
“I am happy that they finally came to you because they have been threatening to go to the media for the past two years and I am sick of it.
Masotla denied he broke Khumalo’s marriage, arguing it was already on the brink before the call.
“I did nothing wrong. I did not touch his wife. My biggest mistake was being overly familiar with her and that is why I was so relaxed on the phone with her.
“They were already having problems. They even called me to intervene. I have made my mistakes. I stepped down from my church when this happened. I have apologised,” he said.
