Congregants abandoning church, offerings affected – bishop

MBABANE – Bishop Vincent Hlatshwako says the departure of congregants from Rest in Christ Ministries following the publicity surrounding his divorce has reduced church donations and offerings, affecting the allowances he receives to support his family.

In an answering affidavit filed before the High Court, Hlatshwako, who recently engaged to be married, states that the church has been losing members since his marital challenges became public and eventually resulted in a divorce decree. He argues that the declining membership has reduced the donations and pledges from which the church derives its income and provides allowances for him and his family.

He argues that, when considering orders granted by the court on June 25 and 26, 2026, he is effectively expected to pay an amount of at least E45 042.81 per month from a monthly salary of E45 000. The bishop is responding to an application by his former wife, Busisiwe Happiness Matsenjwa, who is seeking to recover E110 709.51 in alleged unpaid maintenance and school-related expenses for their children. Hlatshwako claims Matsenjwa contributed to the departure of church members. In his affidavit, Hlatshwako states that he does not own Rest in Christ Ministries, which is situated in Matsapha, but serves as its bishop and oversees its day-to-day operations. The church is governed by a council of elders responsible for its management.

He explains that his monthly salary is determined by the council of elders, while certain additional expenses for him and his family are covered through donations from congregants. According to Hlatshwako, the E5 000 that Matsenjwa allegedly received monthly was not money paid directly by him but funds provided by the church for the family’s food.

He further states that he supplemented the available funds with donations and pledges from congregants to pay school fees for their children. However, he says he has no control over the disbursement of these amounts, as this is at the discretion of the council members.

Hlatshwako, who is represented by attorneys from Robinson Bertram, states that the publicity surrounding the divorce has affected the church’s membership and, consequently, its ability to provide financial support.

“Since the publication and announcement of my marital challenges which eventually resulted in a divorce decree issued between me and the applicant, congregants of the church have been abandoning the church,” he states in the affidavit. The veracity of these allegations is still to be tested in court.

He alleges that some congregants have continued to leave as the matter progresses, resulting in reduced donations and pledges. He further states that the church has no other source of income apart from these contributions.

According to the bishop, the decline in congregants has a direct effect on the allowances that the council of elders can provide for his family.

He argues that donations and pledges are not guaranteed payments because they depend on the voluntary contributions of church members, who are not obliged to provide financial support to their church leader. Hlatshwako states that the declining flow of donations has affected his ability to supplement his salary and meet the financial obligations associated with maintaining his family. He says he has attempted to preserve the lifestyle his family was accustomed to when the maintenance order was issued on June 25, 2026, but his financial circumstances have since become strained. The bishop maintains that he is not seeking to avoid his responsibility to maintain his children but argues that the amount ordered by the court is no longer affordable in light of his changed financial circumstances. He states that his monthly salary from the church is E45 000, while his listed obligations include a mortgage repayment of E17 698.94 and a vehicle loan repayment of E14 345.14. The affidavit also refers to his maintenance obligations for the two minor children, as well as expenses relating to a daughter studying at the University of Johannesburg.

In his counter-application, Hlatshwako wants the court to vary the maintenance order issued on June 25, 2026.

He proposes that the monthly contribution of E13 000 be allocated as E4 000 for each of the two minor children and E5 000 for the daughter in Johannesburg.

He also seeks an order requiring both parents to contribute equally towards school-related expenses, including tuition fees, with each responsible for 50 per cent of the costs.

In addition, he wants the court to grant shared custody, with each parent spending two weeks with the children, which he says would allow the parents to share the costs of their daily needs.

Hlatshwako further proposes that the two minor children be transferred from Enjabulweni School to KaZakhali School. He states that the schools offer the same curriculum and are of an equivalent standard, arguing that the proposed change would provide a more sustainable way of meeting the children’s educational needs.

The bishop listed his monthly financial obligations as including E17 698.94 for his mortgage, E14 345.14 for his vehicle loan, E13 000 in maintenance for the two minor children, E6 745.27 in their school fees, E7 287.22 in university fees, E5 000 as a monthly allowance for his daughter in Johannesburg and E5 000 for her rent.

He calculates these expenses at E69 076.57 per month, exceeding the E45 000 salary he says he receives from the church.

Hlatshwako states that the financial pressure has been aggravated by the decline in church membership and the resulting reduction in donations and offerings.

He asks the court to reconsider the existing maintenance arrangements and to require Matsenjwa to account for her contribution towards the children’s upkeep.

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