KZN Anglican Bishop survives second armed hijacking in Zululand Diocese
Anglican Church of Southern Africa BishopVictor Mnculwane who heads the Zululand Diocese who was hijacked for the second time last week.
Image: SUPPLIED
An Anglican Church of Southern Africa bishop in the Zululand Diocese has been hijacked at gunpoint for the second time.
Bishop Victor Mnculwane was abducted last Friday while travelling alone from Garden Clinic in eMpangeni to his home in eShowe. His white Toyota Fortuner was hijacked in the Ndlangubo area, between eShowe and eMpangeni.
Confirming the incident, Zululand Diocese secretary Reverend Mondli Nkosi said the bishop was blocked by unknown suspects, forced into the boot of his vehicle at gunpoint and driven away.
“He was later dumped in a forest in the eMasangweni area of eMpangeni, where the suspects took his cellphone, cash and other personal belongings before fleeing,” said Rev Nkosi.
Zululand Diocese Bishop Victor Mnculwane for the Anglican Church of Southern Africa in a file picture where he and his wife were prayed for after surviving a shooting incident where his car was hijacked in KwaMashu.
Image: File
The bishop managed to walk through the forest until he reached a nearby road, where local residents assisted him. He was taken to a local induna (traditional Zulu headman), after which arrangements were made for him to return home safely. A criminal case has since been opened.
Rev Nkosi said the diocese believes the incident was a random criminal act and that the bishop was not personally targeted.
“Although this incident has shaken us, we are grateful that Bishop Mnculwane was not physically harmed,” he said.
“We thank God that his life was spared and appeal to South Africans to show compassion towards one another so that such crimes may come to an end.”
The bishop previously survived a hijacking while serving as a parish priest in Ekuvukeni, KwaMashu, where he was shot several times and his vehicle was stolen.
Bishop Mnculwane currently heads the Zululand Diocese, which has 54 branches. His hijacked vehicle has not yet been recovered.
Bishop Victor Mnculwane's vehicle which was hijacked after he was blocked by another vehicle in a stretch of the road in Ndlangubo between eShowe and eMpangeni on Friday last week.
Image: SUPPLIED
Meanwhile, a voice note circulating on social media alleges that the hijackers demanded the bishop’s bank cards and details of the vehicle’s tracking system. The message further claims the suspects attempted to access his bank cards for several hours before returning them along with his identity document.
The voice note also alleges that the bishop resisted during the ordeal and fell into the Mhlathuze River, from where the suspects allegedly rescued him. He was reportedly not assaulted.
Police had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.