SA Chiefs arrive for Vapostori anniversary

Chiefs from Ndzundza Kingship under King Mabhoko III (Mpumalanga) arrived in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare this Friday for the Saint John Apostolic Church of the Whole World's 40th anniversary scheduled for this weekend.

Speaking during an interview with Bulawayo24.com, upon arrival in Harare, Mbhali Sigasa, (spokesperson of the amaNdebele amusing kaMhlanga Community Foundation and responsibility management) from the Council of Ndzundza Kingdom and Mr Themba Masombuka (Member of the tribal court in Siyabuswa), Southern Ndebele Nation expressed their quest for unity and peace amongst South African and Zimbabwean nationals.

"Borders and demarcations were only driven by colonialists, but we are united and peaceful as one. We share everything as one, including cultural traditions, values and beliefs," Sigasa said.

"As traditional leadership and our subjects, we are distinctively identified by totems in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Languages are strikingly similar and that alone shows that we are solitary, peaceful and united," Sigasa added.

"We condemn fighting based on tribal or racial grounds, but preach peace and unity amongst our nationals even when they interact with each other between the two countries geography," he added.

"We have been working closely with Dr Bishop Sydney Mabhiza and his church for quite a long period of time and as Chiefs, we made sure that our constituencies respectively benefit from empowerment initiatives thereof. As custodians of traditional norms and values, we have noted that his church has complimented peace and unity initiatives amongst various nationals from Zimbabwe, South Africa and entirety of African continent," he said.

"We had come here because South Africans (who are our subjects) are part of this church and we also share mutual understanding with the church's leadership, so that relationship should be reciprocated," Sigasa said.

"Bayethe King Mabhoko III has empowered this church after learning that they complement our cultural and traditional values. Morality has become an important aspect being managed and complemented by both churches and traditional leadership, hence with St John Apostolic Church of the Wholeworld we are inseparable," Sigasa claims.

Meanwhile, the church's founder leader, Bishop Sydney Mabhiza has commented that indigenous churches and their respective traditional leadership should complement each other for realisation of sustainable development.

"We encourage peace, sustainable development, love and unity amongst communities. We also really appreciate and accept the need for churches to work or operate within the confines and dictates of prescribed laws and regulations of every country as enshrined in their respective national constitutions," Bishop Mabhiza remarks.

The St John Apostolic Church of the Whole World has been rolling out several sustainable projects and charitable works amongst communities in Africa especially rural areas which constitute bulky of less priviledged and vulnerable people.

The church has been on several occasions donate blankets, food hampers, farming equipment, sanitary ware, clothes (including uniforms), school fees, among other necessities throughout Africa.