MBABANE – Reverend Dalcy Dlamini has alleged that Reverend Nhlanhla Dlamini, whose pastoral licence has been revoked, peddled lies that she went to Reverend TB Joshua in Nigeria to get magical powers.
In her answering affidavit, Reverend Dalcy, who is the Bishop of the Diocese of Eswatini under the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, alleged that Reverend Nhlanhla, who is challenging his transfer to Mhlume, spread a lot of stories about her, which were not true. Reverend Dalcy, who took over from Bishop Wamukoya after her death due to COVID-19-related illnesses, told the court that she, in fact, went to Nigeria as an ordinary reverend to Reverend Gbile Akane, who was connected to the Liviyo (another spiritual cluster in the Diocese). Reverend Dalcy also alleged that Reverend Nhlanhla drove a wedge between her and Bishop Wamukoya.
She submitted that Reverend Akane had visited the country to preach in the Anglican churches and Bishop Wamukoya attended his services. “Unfortunately, negative stories spread faster than the truth. To date, a lot of untruthful stories are said about me. I console myself by reading the Bible because I know that my Lord God knows my life. I only pray that those peddling lies accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their saviour for the effects of falsehood can be best described in Proverbs 25:18 read against Proverbs 6:16-19. I will not mention what they say about the second applicant (Reverend Nhlanhla) but it is equally as bad,” said Reverend Dalcy.
She submitted that Bishop Wamukoya removed her from being a priest of the University of Eswatini Chapelry and she remained with St Michael’s Chapelry, which was not operational during school holidays and was constituted mainly of students in the boarding hostel. She submitted that she was then transferred to Mankayane Parish. “In everything that was happening, the second applicant was the initiator of same due to the role played by a dean. Reverend Dalcy informed the court that one Manqoba Shongwe (whom she knew very well), in an article, was quoted as having made a wild allegation that there was bad blood between her and Reverend Nhlanhla. “I was surprised to read such because I thought that my relationship with the second applicant (Reverend Nhlanhla) was cordial as he welcomed me with warm arms and he used to carry my bag. I decided to forget how he treated me during Bishop Wamukoya’s time. We used to share tea in my office and called each other as often as possible. We rotated the other reverends. He knew that I was going to rotate him and he seemed fine with it,” submitted Reverend Dalcy.
Submitted
She submitted that she was always willing to meet the wardens and the PCC members but of late, they allegedly seemed difficult when she invited them to a meeting. Reverend Dalcy told the court that she was willing to work with Reverend Nhlanhla no matter their differences. “In fact, after my consecration, we sat together and rotated some of the priests around. He asked not to be rotated to Luve Parish as we implemented the rotation exercise. As my dean, he must be close to me, and I now realise he was always with Bishop Wamukoya,” alleged Reverend Dalcy. These allegations are still to be tested in court. The Diocese of Eswatini Anglican Church of Southern Africa –All Saints Cathedral is represented by Mayibongwe Mntungwa of Dynasty Inc. Attorneys. The applicants are represented by Sifiso Maseko of S.M. Maseko Attorneys.
On another note, Reverend Dalcy disputed that Lolo Mkhabela and Deris Hlophe were Anglicans. She demanded that they produced their confirmation certificates because as officers of the bishop, and having ascribed to Canonical obedience, they would not be claiming that the congregation had a say in the rotation of a reverend. She also stated that they would not be blackmailing the bishop by withholding the assessment that was made up of tithes and offering as a form of arm twist strategy, calling upon her to allow Reverend Nhlanhla to stay permanently, yet her predecessor, Reverend Bishop Meshack Mabuza, posted him (Reverend Nhlanhla) to All Saints.
Reverend Dalcy informed the court that the meetings that Reverend Nhlanhla referred to were consultations. She said they did not agree, but that did not mean that they did not consult.
She informed the court that Reverend Nhlanhla abandoned the structure of the Safe Church, which was meant to foster unity among the church members, supposedly after she filed a response to their complaint. “I also sent the legal officials to foster harmony between me and the applicants but again they rejected them despite writing a wonderful letter of unity. I also set up a task team to harmonise the relationship but the first applicant (Parish Church Council) refused to entertain them,” alleged Reverend Dalcy. The parishioners’ concern, according to Bishop Dalcy, was that they wanted Reverend Nhlanhla to stay longer because he had been there for close to three decades, having spent at least more than 25 years in the Cathedral.
She alleged that they failed to produce proof that he had a school-attending child, nor someone in need of medical attention. “No such evidence has been filed in support of this application. Even the second applicant never produced such proof or gave me an option to consider the issues that are being raised. “I was made to understand by the second applicant that his family has relocated to Hlatikhulu and his children are attending tertiary education in South Africa. His transfer to Mhlume parish would have not prejudiced him. “It is worthy to highlight from the attached minutes that the second applicant asked to be recommended to go to Scotland. Indeed I asked the archbishop to facilitate the transfer to Scotland. While I was working on that issue, the second applicant allowed a march to my residence on April 23 and 26, 2023, where toddlers were forcefully made to partake in the march to my residence to deliver a petition that they do not want him to transfer.
Delivery
“When I asked him after the delivery of the petition on what happens to his trip to Scotland because I knew that his transfer to Mhlume was temporary since he was going overseas, he did not give me a direct response save to state that he is listening to the wishes of All Saints. My conclusion was that he was now not pursuing Scotland. I am, however, willing to assist him should he need to revisit this decision,” narrated Reverend Dalcy. She also alleged that the applicants approbated and reprobated when it came to the finalisation of the matter. She submitted that the applicants’ prayer was not premised on that they wanted an interdict pending finalisation of the dispute in Safe Church. The matter is pending before Judge Justice Mavuso.