Shepherd Bushiri church loses court bid over R4.9 million Rustenburg property ownership, SA reacts

The legal empire of fugitive leader Shepherd Bushiri has faced another setback after the North West High Court dismissed an ownership claim regarding a R4.9 million property in Rustenburg. Acting Judge Bulelwa Mnyovu ruled against Enlightened Christian Gathering South Africa and its Rustenburg affiliate, ordering the church entities to pay the legal costs of the respondents.

The court application sought to have the Rustenburg congregation declared the lawful owner of the site. Currently, the property is registered under the Prophet Shepherd Bushiri Ministries NPC, a separate entity that is being liquidated.

The Oral Agreement Defense

The church's legal team argued that an oral agreement existed, suggesting the national ministry held the property in trust until the local branch was formally registered. They claimed a church member, Maria Mokoena, bought the land in 2018 for the local branch, which subsequently spent R5 million on upgrades.

However, liquidators handling the Bushiri estate countered this narrative, stating there was no documentary proof that Mokoena acted for the local church. They presented evidence that the property was legally transferred to the national ministry in April 2018, making it a clear asset for liquidation.

A Crumbling Empire

Judge Mnyovu agreed with the liquidators, finding that the applicants failed to prove any ownership rights. This ruling complicates the ongoing efforts to wind up Bushiri’s South African interests, which have been under liquidation since February 2024 following a Johannesburg High Court order.

The self-proclaimed prophet, known as 'Major 1', fled South Africa for Malawi in 2020 while out on bail. He was facing serious charges including fraud, money laundering, and immigration violations.

The Public Reacts

South Africans on social media have shared mixed reactions to the ruling, with many supporting the court's decision to seize assets. Despite the legal defeat, Bushiri reportedly used social media to distance himself from the property's personal ownership.

While Bushiri and his wife remain in Malawi, claiming they cannot get a fair trial in South Africa, local authorities continue to push for their extradition. The prophet has previously made unverified claims that South African police attempted to extort R10 million from him before he fled.