Judge in IPHC case 'receives death threats', delays ruling on request for her recusal

The Pretoria high court judge in the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) succession matter could not hand down judgment on a request for her recusal on Wednesday due to a security threat.

Judge Portia Phahlane, tasked with hearing a case to determine the rightful leader of the church, arrived at court on Wednesday escorted by bodyguards.

Divisions at the church began after the death of IPHC leader Glayton Modise in 2016. Since Modise’s death, three factions have emerged:

• the Jerusalema faction led by Michael Sandlana;
• the Leonard Modise faction, which is at church headquarters in Zuurbekom; and
• the Tshepiso Modise faction, based on the East Rand.

Priest Vusi Ndala, spokesperson for the Sandlana camp, said: "The other parties made submissions requesting the recusal. Last week the judge indicated that she had been receiving threats and indicated she would escalate the matter accordingly. We never thought it would get this far.

"Today we were supposed to hear the judgment on the recusal, but then the judge came to the court and said she had received death threats and that the matter ... was subject to an investigation. So the judgment will only be handed down after [the inquiry]."

The judge was surrounded by about four bodyguards in court, Ndala added.

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