BY MFANUFIKILE KHATHWANE
MBABANE – The President of the Africa Evangelical Church (AEC), Rev Meshack Dladla from South Africa, is in Eswatini to address the ongoing disputes that have engulfed the church and attracted widespread negative publicity.
Speaking at a media briefing on January 17,2026 President Meshack Dladla extended an apology to the nation for the controversies surrounding the church in recent months. “We are deeply sorry for the negative attention that has overshadowed the work of our church,” he said.
President Meshack clarified that the AEC is not a franchise and confirmed that disciplinary measures are being taken against individuals who have turned the church into a business.
He also expressed his intention to personally apologise to Their Majesties for the embarrassment the disputes have caused, saying it is important to show respect and seek forgiveness for any dishonour brought to the nation.
The disputes within the church date back to 2022 and have included high-profile legal battles and internal leadership conflicts. In 2025, fifteen pastors were sentenced to seven days in prison for contempt of court after defying an interdiction order that barred them from holding a separate church conference. This highlighted a deep division within the church over authority and leadership.
Tensions also escalated at the Mbuluzi Branch, where attempts to suspend the resident pastor, Joseph Dlamini, led to chaotic confrontations and clashes between local pastors and the Regional Executive. The situation at the branch became a symbol of the broader struggle over leadership within the AEC.
At times, the disputes turned physical. In October 2025, internal conflicts escalated to violence, resulting in assault charges against two pastors. Court proceedings revealed alarming incidents, including attempts by one pastor to retrieve a bush knife from another, underscoring the volatile environment that had taken hold within the church.
“The church has appeared in the media for reasons that do not reflect its Christian witness,” Dladla said. “We serve a God of restoration, reconciliation, and new beginnings.”
During the briefing, he also dismissed alarming claims about his security, stating bluntly: “I do not have izinkabi! I do not have hitmen, and I do not even have bodyguards. I trust God wherever I go.”
Observers have described the disputes as a power struggle over leadership, fame, and fortune, sparking public debate over the need to regulate churches in Eswatini, which some say have become “run-away entities” causing distress to members.
The church President concluded the briefing by emphasising a commitment to restoring unity and integrity within the church. “We are committed to reconciliation and to ensuring that the Africa Evangelical Church returns to being a place of spiritual guidance and Christian witness,” he said.
The church’s leadership crisis, now in the public eye for over three years, has left members and the broader community hoping for lasting resolution under the guidance of its visiting president.
#AEC #ChurchDisputes #EswatiniNews #MeshackDladla #TheirMajesties #ChurchLeadership #Reconciliation #ChristianWitness #NationApology #FaithAndLeadership
