Following a family feud and a dramatic funeral, authorities have successfully exhumed the body of the late eNyonini Mission Church President, DE Thamsanqa Elijah Nkonyane, from behind the mission house in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal.
This funeral was halted by the South African Police Service after the late clergyman’s wife obtained an interdict from the Pietermaritzburg High Court last week. The family harboured suspicions that the late fourth president of the church had been secretly buried in a shallow grave within the church premises, and that the coffin later brought to the funeral service was filled with bricks.
A court battle ensued between Nkonyane’s siblings, his wife, and his lover, who was accused of proceeding with the burial without involving the family. The court ruled in favour of the wife, permitting the police to recover the body for proper forensic investigation and closure. The lover was ordered to assist on locating the shallow grave in which the church leader was secretly buried.
The dramatic funeral has resonated throughout the Zion fraternity across Southern Africa, as eNyonini was the first Zion Church founded by Daniel Nkonyane following a visit by the Zionist Movement to the region. The church was officially registered in 1905, leading to the establishment of other Zion churches both locally and in other countries within the region.
The funeral service was carried out by Icebolethu Group, which has been cleared by the court after being accused of having knowledge of the events. The company maintained its innocence throughout the proceedings.
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