Controversial ANC chaplain-general Reverend Vukile Charles Mehana and his wife Doreen Ncumisa Mehana have gone their separate ways after 32 years of marriage.
The clergyman, who is a minister of the Methodist Church in Southern Africa, is also planning to ask his wife to vacate his Sandown mansion in Joburg and find her a rented property elsewhere in Gauteng where she can live with their two children.
Their separation, was revealed by two family friends who are aggrieved about the disintegration of the couple’s marriage.
A friend, who did not want to be named, said the couple, who got married in December 1988 out of community of property, drifted apart after they lost the romantic spark.
The friend said the man of the cloth and his wife have been silently living separate lives under one roof for 10 years while requesting church counsellors to help them rescue their faltering union.
However, attempts to reconcile the couple proved futile as they indicated that they had lost their intimate connection and no longer loved each other.
“After accepting that they couldn’t reconcile their differences because they are no longer even communicating, they decided to separate and go for divorce,” said the pal.
“According to the friend, the man of the cloth lives in Midrand, north of Joburg, while his wife lives in his posh Sandown crib.
“It’s over, there is nothing they could do to save it.
We are so sad that they are now going for a divorce. But what gives us comfort is that their children are now adults who can fend for themselves,” said the friend.
Another friend said Mehana informed his wife that he wanted to sell the Sandown property and rent a home for her and their two children. “He will rent it for them for a period of 12 months, but he is not prepared to pay more than R10 000 per month because he is doing it out of his own goodwill.
He said he will then renovate the Sandown home and sell it. Afterwards, he will use the proceeds from the sale of the house to buy a property of not more than R3-million for himself,” said the friend.
Mehana, said the friend, will pay all the costs of their divorce, on the condition that his wife doesn’t contest it.
“It appears they are negotiating a settlement agreement,” said the friend.
Mehana’s wife feigned surprise when we contacted her for comment while the clergyman declined to comment and said he was not a public figure.
“What gives you the right to pry into my private life? We have too many problems in this country and all you can ask me is gossip about my private life. What does that have to do with you?” he asked
Mehana hogged media headlines in 2019 when he was barred from officiating at the ANC’s 107th birthday bash after an audio clip in which he and fellow Methodist Church member Raymond Sibanga made sexist comments about women priests went viral.
He has since apologised for his faux pas.
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