Shepherd Bushiri claims church flock grew to over two million since fleeing South Africa

SHEPERD BUSHIRI, founder of the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church — now renamed the Jesus Nation Church, claims his South African congregation has expanded to more than two million registered members, a surge that he says began after leaving the country while out on bail.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with eNCA, from Lilongwe, Malawi, Bushiri, known to his followers as Major One maintained that his church had “multiplied five times more” since his departure from South Africa in 2020.

Bushiri and his wife Mary fled in November 2020, only days after being granted bail on fraud and money laundering charges totaling R102 million. Their escape triggered diplomatic tensions between Pretoria and Lilongwe, as South Africa pursued their extradition, a process later halted by a Malawian court ruling.

The High Court of Malawi dismissed the extradition request, citing hearsay evidence, improperly authenticated documents, and threats to the couple’s lives.

In his judgment, Justice Mzonde Mvula ruled that the extradition process “fell short” of the standards required under Malawian law and that the Bushiris had been denied their constitutional right to be heard. The ruling overturned a March decision by the Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court in Lilongwe, which had ordered their committal for surrender to South Africa.

Justice Mvula stated that the lower court did not exercise judicial discretion correctly by making a finding for extradition, when the evidence on the extradition hearing fell short to make this finding.

He further noted that the proceedings violated the principle of audi alteram partem, the right to be heard because the magistrate delivered a ruling after hearing only the case of the Respondent” and failed to allow the couple to present their defence.

During the interview, Bushiri also commented on the controversial visit by then uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party secretary-general Floyd Shivambu earlier this year. Shivambu was later disciplined by the Jacob Zuma-led MK party for what it described as an “unsanctioned trip.”

“I am a man of the people, I love people, and they love me. These people do not look at me from a religious background; they look at me as a fellow African, they look at me as a human being. I might be a self-proclaimed (prophet) to other people, but to other people I am a brother, a cousin, an uncle,” said Bushiri.

“For example, when Shivambu came to Malawi here, he did not come here specifically for me. He had other business which he was doing here. I think he was visiting the former president Joyce Banda and he had meetings with other politicians. Then he said let me go and attend a service on a Sunday. That was it, and we prayed with him. His mother is one of my leaders in the church in South Africa,” he added.

On the growth of his congregation, Bushiri said the number of followers had “ballooned” since his exit.

“You are aware of that. Our church actually grew five times more than when I was in South Africa. Our church grew bigger,” he said.

Bushiri revealed that the church now has more than two million registered members across South Africa, with branches in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, and Cape Town. The Enlightened Christian Gathering remains one of the largest charismatic movements in southern Africa. Once known for filling stadiums in Gauteng with tens of thousands of worshippers, the church continues to attract large crowds both locally and internationally.

Many congregants travel between South Africa and Malawi to attend Bushiri’s services in person. Despite his legal challenges and self-imposed exile, his followers continue to regard him as a prophet and miracle worker, with satellite branches reportedly active worldwide.

SUNDAY TRIBUNE