The International Pentecost Holiness Church (IPHC), under the leadership of Michael Sandlana, has welcomed the abandonment of “unwarranted lawsuits”.
The lawsuits were initiated several years ago by factions led separately by Leonard Modise and Tshepiso Modise.
The church has asked the Modise brothers to vacate all its premises because these belong to the church.
Addressing the media in Pretoria on Thursday, IPHC Jerusalem spokesperson Vusi Ndala said the Modises lost their church memberships when they took it to court and should vacate the premises within 14 days.
He said the church took a resolution that the brothers must never wear an IPHC uniform again, as they are no longer part of the church.
“All individuals currently occupying any property of the IPHC and registered in the name of the IPHC shall vacate such property within 14 days from Wednesday, July 26,” said Ndala.
“All properties purchased on behalf of the IPHC but registered in the names of individuals as mandated or properties whose purchase is proven to be financed by the funds flowing from the IPHC coffers shall forthwith be transferred back to the IPHC.”
Ndala noted that no individual or group of individuals who are not members of the IPHC under the leadership of Sandlana and his council and executive committee are allowed to wear church uniform, regalia and/or insignia or representation of any form that is related to the IPHC dress code in all its recognised forms.
“Any person or group of persons found to act contrary to or resist abiding by these resolutions will face consequences, and where it is deemed appropriate, be sued.”
The IPHC has been embroiled in a dramatic succession battle which erupted after the death of its leader, Bishop Glayton Modise, in 2016.
The bishop is the father of Tshepiso and his younger brother Leonard, who became estranged due to the succession battle.
The fight became a three-pronged affair when Sandlana entered the fray and ended up being in charge of the Jerusalem headquarters at Oskraal village in Brits, North West.
Abie Wessie, spokesperson of the Silo faction at Zuurberkom and also speaking for the Modise bothers, said Sandlana has to right to claim victory in a matter that does not involve him.
“How can you claim that the unity of the two brothers is fake when they have both taken such a giant step?” he asked.
“It is just propaganda and a serious and deliberate distortion of facts by Ndala. They are indeed bad losers.”
According to Wessie, Sandlala is not the leader of IPHC, has never been and will never be.
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