Prophet Shepherd Bushiri has recently shared a harrowing story of his near-death experiences in South Africa, where gunmen were allegedly hired to take his life.
Bushiri, a prominent figure in the Christian community known for his spiritual teachings, claims to have been the target of an armed incident on February 7th, 2020, in Sandton. He alleges that the attackers, disguised as robbers, assaulted his convoy. Remarkably, their motives appeared to go beyond mere robbery. According to Bushiri, he had received intelligence that forewarned him of the imminent danger to his life. Acting on this information, he used the vehicles that were attacked as decoys.
Ironically, when the attackers discovered that Bushiri was not in his vehicle, they departed without stealing anything from his followers who were present. Nevertheless, this incident served as a foreboding prelude to a more sinister event that unfolded a few months later.
In an unsettling turn of events, just three months after the Sandton incident, a gunman stormed one of Prophet Shepherd Bushiri’s church services. The assailant charged towards the pulpit while Bushiri was delivering a sermon. Fortunately, thanks to the swift actions of the on-site security personnel, the gunman was intercepted before he could reach the prophet. This marked the second life-threatening encounter experienced by Bushiri within a short span.
Tragically, not all prophets have been as fortunate. In a grim reminder of the dangers faced by religious leaders in the Rainbow Nation, another South African prophet was shot and killed in his church just last week.
Nearly 10 prophets have been killed since Bushiri left South Africa because it became apparent that his safety was at significant risk living in that country.
Prophet Bushiri expressed his sorrow at this loss, stating, “Losing this young prophet is something that was not supposed to have happened.” He went on to suggest a possible motive, insinuating that fellow religious leaders might be involved, driven by a desire to retain their congregants.
Standing in solidarity with his fellow prophets in South Africa, Bushiri urged caution, saying, “To all Prophets of God in South Africa, stay safe. Our prayers are with you.” He also drew attention to the alarming trend of attacks on religious leaders in the country, revealing that nearly eight prophets have met untimely ends since his departure from South Africa.
More than ten prophets have been killed in South Africa in just two years. In the face of increasing insecurity for prophets in the country, Bushiri addressed questions about his decision to leave, firmly stating that he will not set foot in South Africa again.
He reiterated, “And someone should still be asking me why I left South Africa? Insane! And someone still wants me to go back there? Keep dreaming!”
However, as South Africa grapples with the recent spate of killings of religious leaders, Bushiri emphasised that the safety of spiritual leaders and their congregations remains a matter of paramount concern.
Currently, he is fighting extradition to South Africa on what he calls trumped-up charges for refusing to pay bribes to South African police officials, asserting that his safety is at significant risk, as hitmen in the country are allegedly paid less than $800 for a person’s life.
Sibongiseni Ngubane, the accused in the murder case of South African businessman Ben Gumbi, confessed that he was paid R15,000 (approximately 1 million Malawi kwacha).
Ngubane, an e-hailing driver, said in court that he received the payment after transporting some people from Johannesburg to Rustenburg on the day Gumbi was murdered.
The state alleges that Ngubane was part of a group of men who traveled from Gauteng to Rustenburg on August 23 with the intention of killing Gumbi. The motive behind the murder appears to be a dispute over land that Gumbi had with homeowners who had built houses on land that was supposed to be developed in Ledig.
Gumbi was shot and killed by two people in front of Platō Coffee in the Rustenburg CBD. Ngubane was arrested on September 12 in Germiston after being involved in a separate armed robbery.
