PERSONAL PROFILE OF MTHEMBENI PHINEAS MPANZA
My full names are Mthembeni Phineas Mpanza. I was born on 07 December 1952 at Macekane area in the district of Mthunzini.
My mother is Landiwe Mpanza who passed away on 01 July 1981 and my father is Velem Mpanza who passed away in 1983.
My mother being an orphan was adopted by His Holiness Prophet Isaiah Shembe at the tender age of 11 and stayed with him until he passed away in 1935. After the Prophets death she was under the guardianship of the Lord Galilee Shembe and she stayed with him until her marriage to Mpanza in 1945.
I did my primary education at Manz’amnyama Primary School, Ongoye and matriculated at Dlangezwa High School in 1973.
I completed my three year diploma in law at the University Of Zululand in 1977 (Diploma Juris) and completed my Senior Diploma in Law (Diploma Legum) at the very University in 1982.
I was a prosecutor at Nongoma Magistrate Court since 1978 – 1979 and was then a clerk at Ongoye Magistrate Office from 1980 – 1981.
In 1982 I was transferred to Umbumbulu Magistrate Office as a prosecutor till the end of 1985. In 1985 I was appointed as the Magistrate at Umbumbulu and in the beginning of 1986 I was transferred to UBombo Magistrate Court as a Magistrate.
In 1990 I was transferred to Madadeni Magistrate Office also as a Magistrate till 1992 and at the beginning of 1993 I was transferred to Dukuza (Bergville) Magistrate Office as a District Magistrate. In 1995 I went to Kimberly Regional Office and was appointed as Regional Magistrate till 1998.
In 1998 I was promoted to Directorship and worked at Ulundi as a Director in the Department of Traditional Affairs.
In 2008 I went on early retirement and was again appointed as part time Regional Court Magistrate at Camperdown Regional Court.
I was born a Nazarite. After I matriculated amoungst other things I embarked upon the research on the iBandla lamaNazaretha. When Lord A.K. Shembe became the leader of the church he used me as his legal advisor.
In 1990 I wrote an unpublished book “UShembe nobuNazaretha,” followed by “Izimfundiso zikaShembe ngobuNazaretha. I co-authored a book with the late Prof.Vilakazi and the late Bongani Mthethwa named “Shembe The Revitalization of African Society.”
Other books I wrote are: IZwi leZulu, UShembe neSabatha, UShembe noMoya oNgcwele. I also compiled and edited the “Ikhathekhizimu lamaNazaretha.” I also edited “Incwadi yomngcwabo.”
In 1980 I founded the youth organization of AmaNazaretha called Nazareth Baptist Church Youth for Shembe (NABACHUYOFOSHE).
I have visited almost all institutions of higher learning in KZN as well as in Wits delivering various papers on Shembe theology. In 1992 I was sent by the Lord A.K. Shembe to Pretoria to attend the Inter-faith Conference where I fought for the separation of iBandla lamaNazaretha from Christianity so that we may be classified as an independent faith known as UbuNazaretha.
On my return from that conference I pleaded with Radio Zulu that this church be given a slot as an independent faith which was then named uShembe nobuNazaretha, the title taken from my book.
In 1999 I was sent by the Lord M.V. Shembe to represent this church at the T.R.C. hearings. I was also a legala advisor of the late M.V. Shembe.
Amongst other things in view of the fact that my work in the church became more and more challenging, I was forced to leave the main church so as to fulfill my dreams and vision about the work of the Prophet Isaiah Shembe and his successors in leadership.
M.P. Mpanza
My full names are Mthembeni Phineas Mpanza. I was born on 07 December 1952 at Macekane area in the district of Mthunzini.
My mother is Landiwe Mpanza who passed away on 01 July 1981 and my father is Velem Mpanza who passed away in 1983.
My mother being an orphan was adopted by His Holiness Prophet Isaiah Shembe at the tender age of 11 and stayed with him until he passed away in 1935. After the Prophets death she was under the guardianship of the Lord Galilee Shembe and she stayed with him until her marriage to Mpanza in 1945.
I did my primary education at Manz’amnyama Primary School, Ongoye and matriculated at Dlangezwa High School in 1973.
I completed my three year diploma in law at the University Of Zululand in 1977 (Diploma Juris) and completed my Senior Diploma in Law (Diploma Legum) at the very University in 1982.
I was a prosecutor at Nongoma Magistrate Court since 1978 – 1979 and was then a clerk at Ongoye Magistrate Office from 1980 – 1981.
In 1982 I was transferred to Umbumbulu Magistrate Office as a prosecutor till the end of 1985. In 1985 I was appointed as the Magistrate at Umbumbulu and in the beginning of 1986 I was transferred to UBombo Magistrate Court as a Magistrate.
In 1990 I was transferred to Madadeni Magistrate Office also as a Magistrate till 1992 and at the beginning of 1993 I was transferred to Dukuza (Bergville) Magistrate Office as a District Magistrate. In 1995 I went to Kimberly Regional Office and was appointed as Regional Magistrate till 1998.
In 1998 I was promoted to Directorship and worked at Ulundi as a Director in the Department of Traditional Affairs.
In 2008 I went on early retirement and was again appointed as part time Regional Court Magistrate at Camperdown Regional Court.
I was born a Nazarite. After I matriculated amoungst other things I embarked upon the research on the iBandla lamaNazaretha. When Lord A.K. Shembe became the leader of the church he used me as his legal advisor.
In 1990 I wrote an unpublished book “UShembe nobuNazaretha,” followed by “Izimfundiso zikaShembe ngobuNazaretha. I co-authored a book with the late Prof.Vilakazi and the late Bongani Mthethwa named “Shembe The Revitalization of African Society.”
Other books I wrote are: IZwi leZulu, UShembe neSabatha, UShembe noMoya oNgcwele. I also compiled and edited the “Ikhathekhizimu lamaNazaretha.” I also edited “Incwadi yomngcwabo.”
In 1980 I founded the youth organization of AmaNazaretha called Nazareth Baptist Church Youth for Shembe (NABACHUYOFOSHE).
I have visited almost all institutions of higher learning in KZN as well as in Wits delivering various papers on Shembe theology. In 1992 I was sent by the Lord A.K. Shembe to Pretoria to attend the Inter-faith Conference where I fought for the separation of iBandla lamaNazaretha from Christianity so that we may be classified as an independent faith known as UbuNazaretha.
On my return from that conference I pleaded with Radio Zulu that this church be given a slot as an independent faith which was then named uShembe nobuNazaretha, the title taken from my book.
In 1999 I was sent by the Lord M.V. Shembe to represent this church at the T.R.C. hearings. I was also a legala advisor of the late M.V. Shembe.
Amongst other things in view of the fact that my work in the church became more and more challenging, I was forced to leave the main church so as to fulfill my dreams and vision about the work of the Prophet Isaiah Shembe and his successors in leadership.
M.P. Mpanza