Former Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Tiyani Mabunda is entrusted with taking care of the souls of the worshippers at Shepherd Bushiri’s church in Pretoria. The self-proclaimed prophet, Bushiri, who used to lead the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church main branch in Pretoria, fled the country after he and his wife, Mary, were arrested in October 2020 on charges of money laundering, fraud, and theft.

NEW SHEPERD IN TOWN 

The couple are still in their home country of Malawi, while the South African authorities are fighting tooth and nail to extradite them to face the music. The charismatic Bushiri, who is known as Major 1 by his loyal flock, was linked to a multimillion-rand investment scheme. The Bushiris fled the country after he was released on bail. 

HE IS TORCH 

In the meantime, Mabunda is holding the fort at the Pretoria region headquarters, where he preaches to the hundreds of people attending services at Pretoria Showgrounds in Clayville. Since retiring from football in 2021, Mabunda has put his energies into reviving the church to its former glory. Two years after leaving Sundowns, Mabunda was appointed as the resident pastor in the Pretoria headquarters. So loyal is Mabunda to Bushiri that a day after the leader of ECG was arrested, he posted in his social media account that when he grows up, he wants to be like Bushiri. 

IMPRESSIVE CV 

Mabunda, who has impressive accolades at Sundowns, having spent eight years where he won the league five times, boasts a Caf Champions League and the Super League among his achievements. He remains loyal at the ECG after joining the charismatic church in April 2015. He still believes that Bushiri, whom he describes as his role model, will be vindicated from the criminal charges he faces. Meanwhile, the Bushiris have reportedly accused the South African Police Service (SAPS) of demanding a R10 million bribe from them before their arrest.