Rape-accused and porn addict Methodist Church reverend Mthuthuzeli Ndlaku, who died three weeks ago, is yet to be buried as a family feud between his widow and children continues.
Ndlaku, who was clergyman for the church in Mbizana, Eastern Cape, had his funeral stopped by the widow, Nontsikelelo Ndlaku, who went to court to stop the funeral service twice – first on May 21 and on June 1.
When he died, Ndlaku was out on bail of R5 000 facing rape charges involving a minor.
Nontsikelelo, a senior official at Ntabankulu local municipality, refused to let Ndlaku be given his final farewell by his congregation and loved ones. She demanded to have all the rights to bury him.
The Mthatha High Court interdicted the funeral – a judgment that has sent shockwaves to the rural community.
According to church sources, the children of Ndlaku from the previous marriage had arranged for their father’s burial. The late church minister had allegedly filed for a divorce, but the widow allegedly refused to sign the divorce papers.
“In May, preparations were made to have Mthuthuzeli [the reverend] be buried, where a cow was slaughtered and other preparations, including catering and other funeral arrangements, were made. When the day of the funeral came, Nontsikelelo [widow] arrived at the family home armed with the court interdict and told the mourners and the family no funeral would be taking place.
“She made it clear to the mourners that there would be no funeral, and we all cried in disbelief,” said one of the mourners.
When we phoned her for comment last week, the widow referred us to her lawyer regarding the matter.
Her lawyer, Mlungisi Mvelase, said they had filed an urgent application to interdict the funeral because the children had excluded his client from being involved in the preparations of her husband’s burial.
“The court order stated that the parties being led by the wife of the deceased should prepare for the funeral. However, despite the existence of the court order, the children excluded our client. She saw from public notices that the funeral was continuing without her being a part of it, and so went to court to stop them,” said Mvelase.
In January, the widow appeared on Mpuma Kapa TV station. She revealed her husband cheated on her multiple times and was addicted to pornography.
In the show’s episode, which we have seen, she said: “I was sleeping at night, and saw him watching pornography on his phone. I got angry and grabbed his gun as I wanted to kill myself because I could not stomach his nonsense anymore. Most women did not believe me when I started to speak up regarding my husband’s promiscuity. People started insulting me and said I was embarrassing the church.”
On social media one of Ndlaku’s daughters, Lungy posted and said they did not know what the way forward would be as everything was now up to their stepmother.
“This is so sad. I am at the breaking point. My stepmother can do whatever she wants,” said Lungy.
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