The funeral of the president Thamsanqa Elijah Nkonyane of the Christian Catholic Apostolic Holy Spirit Church in Zion, in Osizweni, Newcastle turned into a controversy when bricks were discovred inside the coffin which was supposed to be carrying his body. The church has since laid a criminal charge.
The funeral of the late President Thamsanqa Elijah Nkonyane of the Christian Catholic Apostolic Holy Spirit Church in Zion, Inyoni Emhlophe, descended into controversy on Saturday after police halted the burial with a court order and mourners allegedly discovered that the coffin contained building bricks instead of the deceased's body.
In a media statement issued by the church, President Nkonyane, described as the church's fourth president, passed away on May 24, 2026. His funeral had been scheduled to take place on June 6 at the Osizweni church headquarters, in Newcastle, with the cortege due to leave for the cemetery at 1pm.
According to the statement, South African Police Service officers arrived at the venue as the funeral programme concluded and served an interdict issued by the Pietermaritzburg High Court, preventing the burial from proceeding.
The church said the urgent application had been brought by Dolly Nkonyane (MaNgcobo), whom it identified as the late church leader's wife under a community of property marriage concluded in 1988 and from whom he had never divorced.
