THE CONGREGATION raised eyebrows when the prophet didn’t attend his own mother’s funeral – but he had a reason.
He explained privately that he had already grieved the passing of his mum, dad and wife.
“I WILL ONLY ATTEND THEIR FUNERALS IN SPIRIT!” HE SAID.
On Sunday, 24 July, Prophet Ernest Mahlaba stood in church and preached about death.
He quoted from Deuteronomy 34:5, that reads: “Moses the servant of the Lord died in the land of Moab.”
He also quoted from James 2:26: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
And less than a week later, on Saturday, 30 July, the prophet from Communion Bible Ministries in Makwane Village in Phuthaditjhaba, Free State, began his journey home to the Lord.
He was injured in a football match at Phuthaditjhaba Stadium against a Masters team from Lesotho.
Mahlaba was playing as a striker and contesting the ball near the goals when the opposing goalkeeper kicked him in the stomach while trying to clear the ball.
He was struck under the navel and taken to Mofumahadi Manapo Mopeli Regional Hospital, where he died two days later on Monday, 1 August. Church leader Tladi Moloi said on Saturday the prophet had texted the team, telling players to be strong.
“He said other team members were solid as rocks. Little did we know he would be the one going down,” said Moloi.
The prophet’s wife, Emelda Mahlaba, told Daily Sun that he saw his own death coming. She said he gave specific instructions for when he died.
“My husband instructed us that we must not keep his body in a mortuary for long, and we must not apply for postmortem processes,” she said.
“He said we must not question God’s way,” she said, adding he instructed that only a pastor be allowed to address the funeral.
Church member Lebohang Mokhele (32) said the prophet told her that when he was no longer alive, she must write books about him.
“I’m happy to do that. I’m not surprised about his departure. I want to tell people that it was his time.”
She said Mahlaba amazed the congregation when he didn’t attend his mother’s funeral. Mokhele said he told her he had already grieved the passing of his mum, dad, wife, and even her own, because he would not attend any of those funerals physically.
“I know people will have their own interpretations about why I’m not attending.
“I will be happy to be ridiculed by the world, but I won’t compromise what this will gain for me spiritually,” Mahlaba had said about not attending his mum’s funeral.
