A MOURNING mother has approached The Star following the paper’s exposé on controversial church leader Michael Bhekumuzi Sandlana.
Mapula Mantu said that on December 25, 2021, the leader of the IPHC Jerusalem faction, Sandlana, and his “henchmen” killed her son. Seated at the Pretoria News office, a tearful Mantu told of the experience of going to the mortuary to identify her son who was “killed” by her pastor, Sandlana.
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Exclusive: Church leader Sandlana and his henchmen killed my son, mom. pic.twitter.com/NKJaEWQfM3
Sandlana is no stranger to controversy after allegations linking him to fraud and corruption. He is currently in court on a charge of fraud.
On December 25, 2021, Mantu’s two sons left for Jerusalem Rabokala (the church property) in the North West, but it was to be Martin Setilo’s last day.
“We received a call from my husband stating that all children should come to church for the festive season. It was a normal Sabbath during the day of 25 December 2021 but on the 26th December 2021 my son was said to be tied up by Sandlana’s security brigade and he would only be untied on Sandlana’s instruction.
Sandlana then instructed his brigade to “keep the boy until he came”. The whole of Sunday, Rankgadi was tied up and monitored by Mathebula, one of the security brigade.
On Monday, December 27, there was a meeting held at the Driehoek (boardroom) and the priests and my husband were called in as Sandlana wanted a one-on-one with my son.
“Sandlana asked my son why he was at the church. He replied that he came to the church because his parents believed that Sandlana was their God,” Mantu said.
The group of boys who were present in the meeting were asked to leave the Driehoek (boardroom), leaving the priests and her son Rankgadi in the boardroom. They continued the meeting with Rankgadi until Sandlana issued the instruction “teach him the rules”.
It was around 1pm when Brayton Setilo, Manku’s nephew, went running to the others saying “Rankgadi o robetse”, meaning Rankgadi is dead.
Rankgadi was lying on the floor. They had allegedly beaten him to death. Then on January 5, 2022, a case was opened at Letlhabile police station (CAS 47/01/2022).
On January 7, a death notice was issued at the Brits forensic service where the deceased’s body went for a post-mortem. It is believed that a church official attempted to bribe the forensic service in order for the death report to record suicide as a cause of death.
During January, Tumelo Mantu (brother of deceased) and Brayton Setilo (a nephew) were called by Sergeant TJ Makhume to Letlhabile police station to give a statement. They gave a statement to the officer, who promised to continue the investigation.
The suspects, Sipho Ramokone, Buas, Mohau Hlabangwane, Tidimalo, Mphulo (security), Khutjo Amane Maboko and Lefa Khacha, were allegedly instructed by Sandlana to assault the deceased. There has been no movement in the case and no arrest has been made, despite the post-mortem recognising the boy’s passing as a murder.
Mantu said the death of her son split her family as her husband, who was a Sandlana loyalist, had chosen the church’s side.
Since the launch of The Star’s investigation, Sandlana has not responded to questions or requests for interviews.
The Star
siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za