ANC Chief whip seeks pastor's blessings

This comes amid allegations that there is a fierce battle for the top job among candidates who made it to the top of the ANC candidate list of the Letaba subregion.

At last count, the current mayor City Modjadji was sitting at number eight, while Mampeule was third behind Reuben Mosila. Peter Matlou, former Mopani district mayor Joshua Matlou's cousin, sits comfortably at the top spot.

Sowetan reported that  Mampeule, believed to be an ally of Modjadji, is alleged to have secretly gone to Bushiri's church two weeks ago to seek blessings to outsmart all top candidates, including his ally, to ascend to the top post.

Sunday World has seen a video, taken by a loyal viewer of Bushiri's broadcasts, in which Mampeule apparently receives blessings from the Malawian clergyman.

In the video, Mampeule, who is wearing a red shirt and black trousers, is sitting in the front row during the service and is heard saying: "I receive, man of God, I receive."

Before that Bushiri asks Mampeule if he knows him and whether he may have sent him an SMS or e-mail, or called him, to which Mampeule responds by saying: "No, you don't know me, man of God."

Bushiri can be heard saying: "As I look at this man, I see this man surrounded by councillors around him."

Bushiri then asks Mampeule: "Why am I seeing councillors, and who are they?"

The politician tells Bushiri he is a chief whip of a municipality but does not state which one.

Bushiri tells Mampeule that when he leaves the church service, "you are going to have favour before everyone. I'm seeing you now going into that office. I'm seeing you now getting a higher position when you leave this place.

"On this day, on this date, you have been established as a big man. I see people fighting you. There are three people trying to fight you."

The pastor rumbles: "They will fall down and I'm putting them on a slippery place and they will fall down and you will walk through. It is done."

Mampeule responds by saying: "It's true, man of God."

Bushiri continues: "Every enemy playing down with you, they shall fall by the sword of the Lord."

Despite the video showing he was there , Mampeule denied visiting the place of worship: "I don't know about it and I've never been there. It's not me in that video."

But after we sent him the video, he said: "You can go ahead and write the story, but know that it will be your last story."