Followers show peak of faith to Mount of Shembe

Followers show peak of faith to Mount of Shembe


Every January more than a million of Shembe's followers walk 85 km to the sacred mountain of Nhlangakazi, Inanda, north of Durban.
THEY emerge from a hilltop like an endless stream of water, stretching more than 20km.
Clad in white Nazareth gowns, Zulu traditional skirts, animal skin headgear, a sea of toddlers, teens, adults and the elderly sing in jubilation as they prepare to ascend the great mountain of Nhlangakazi.
Their journey began three days ago from Ebuhleni Village, one of the two headquarters of the Shembe Church in Inanda. Sadly, the holy journey was hampered by heavy rain which made the roads dangerously slippery for the barefoot congregation.
There are those who persist on the journey despite serious injury.
"As soon as I reach the top of the mountain , the wound will heal," a congregant says as she rests at the side of the road.
These strong-willed followers continue on their journey to salvation. "We bow to Shembe, for he is controlled by God and the holy spirit. God speaks through him," says Mbali Mkhwenyane (49) of Empandweni.
Vimbeni Shembe (70), the third leader of the Shembe Church founded by his great-grandfather Isaiah, is arguably the most powerful man in the history of religion in southern Africa, according to his followers.
"He is God ," says Enoch Mthembu, spokesperson of the Ebuhleni section of the Shembe Church. "The elderly, the sick and the disabled participate on this holy journey because their spiritual belief is so strong.
"God spoke to Moses and A braham on a mountain top, much as he did with Shembe. Therefore, this ritual is symbolic of the Bible's preachings. God instructed Shembe to rescue African people from self-destruction, much like he did with Moses and the Israelites ."
The people of Ebuhleni attest that their leader was sent by God because he is a people's person who lives a simple life and has dedicated his life to saving the troubled and blessing the less fortunate.
"He is a humble man who is one with the people and lives in a simple small hut among his people," says Mthembu. Upon visiting the great Shembe village, a crowded informal settlement whose residents occupy many tiny shacks, we came across a triple-fenced yard. The outside fence is electrified.
Behind the security fences are two no-expense-spared double storey mansions, paired with a couple of modern houses that spread across the spacious yard.
Helpers and security guards swarm around the mansion non-stop to ensure that no intruders set foot. Ironically, this house is built in the centre of a village occuped mainly by Shembe's followers.
Our hope of meeting this humble preacher on the holy journey were dashed when we found out that he gets driven to the mountain, unlike his million followers, some older than him, who sleep in small tents covered by wet blankets in deserted valleys on the three-day journey.
But alas, this congregation is interested only in the activities that will take place when they reach the mountain top. Most of them have been walking this road for years and they say each year, Shembe has not failed to fulfil his promises.
The festival will be concluded on January 22 and all 1,5 million members will make the same journey back to their homes, hopefully cured of all their ills, including those sustained during the journey.