City pastor accused of wrecking marriage

A POPULAR city pastor who is also chairperson of the Civil Societies and Church Joint Forum Anglistone, Thembani Mthiyane Sibanda is flinging in controversy after a city man accused him of causing  "tension and confusion" in his marriage before he moved on with his estranged wife.

A heartbroken Nketha Dlamini claimed Pastor Sibanda inappropriately associated with his estranged wife Sikhulile Ncube during the subsistence of their customary marriage.

The customary union was blessed with two children aged five and seven years respectively and the two had been married from 2011 to late last year.

Dlamini is a former chief executive officer for Mangwe Rural District Council while Ncube is a customer service officer with Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) in Bulawayo.

In an interview, a dejected Dlamini alleged that the senior pastor at Word of Faith International Ministries (according to Sibanda's Facebook account), wrecked his marriage when he coerced his wife to dump him so that she can date him. He said the illicit relationship started when they were still staying together.

"What happened is that the other day when we were still staying together I took Skhue (Ncube)'s phone and was shocked when I discovered that the two-Ncube and Sibanda- have been communicating behind my back and at odd hours," said Dlamini.

"After that discovery I approached one of my friends who said he was going to talk to Sibanda to find out what was happening. When my friend confronted Sibanda he told him that Skhue was a family friend.  Just imagine, Sibanda has been my friend for a long time not knowing that he has been secretly dating my wife."

Dlamini said he has it on good authority that the two were "madly in love" adding that Pastor Sibanda shattered his life to the point that he once attempted suicide.

"Before we even separated I caught them together on several occasions, they looked cosy. When I later confronted Sibanda he bragged to me saying I was not going to get my wife back. At the same time Skhue also started telling people that we were no longer married and boasting that she was free to tell people about her life."

Dlamini said before they separated Ncube would come home late claiming she was at work. He further said that he wanted the pastor to be stripped of his title so that he does not use his position to gain other women's trust. When B-Metro contacted Pastor Sibanda regarding the allegations he could neither confirm nor deny that he was dating Ncube. He infact mocked Dlamini saying he was a "bitter loser".

"I am a single man and Skhue is a single mother who parted ways with Dlamini. Apparently, Dlamini is still married to his first wife Gladys Ndlovu. He is a bitter loser jealous that she has moved on and she is happy. She has facts and evidence on their story and how he was cheating on her with Linda Tlou.

"He has been everywhere including my church leadership trying to blame me for having failed his fake marriage where he did not even pay lobola. He is not even supporting his kids. He is just a miserable failure. Besides, there are political dynamics that motivate this story," explained Pastor Sibanda.

Ncube said she dumped Dlamini after she discovered that he had lied to her that he had divorced his first wife Ndlovu when infact the marriage still existed.

"I have children with Dlamini but we are not married. We never got married because he lied to me that he had divorced his first wife. I moved out after I discovered that he was still legally married to his first wife. So I can't stay with someone who lied to me he had divorced," fumed Ncube.

When prodded to comment on the nature of her relationship with Pastor Sibanda, Ncube tersely said: "It does not matter who I should go or associate with. It is also not his (Dlamini) or anyone's business."

Ironically, Ncube's brother Bizo confirmed that Dlamini was still their "legitimate" son-in-law though the two–Dlamini and Sikhulile – were having marital problems.