Analysis of the Supernatural Phenomena
(see also chapter 4 of the book: “Is This a Genuine Revival” by Albert Pilon).
Some people are said to have had contact with Satanists, such as the young woman mentioned in the context of special miracles. Another woman, who was one of the key people at the girls’ school, is said to have had contact with supposed Satanists. She gave the following testimony concerning this, anonymously. [17]
“In 2010 the 14-year-old Imbali Mxolo was sent to Kwasizabantu to infiltrate the movement. She was supposedly a “top Satanist” but had apparently been converted. Because of her background she was able to identify certain children as Satanists, as she recognised them from “encounters under the sea”, [18] we were told. Imbali was extremely vulgar and was guilty of blasphemy. Despite that, Stegen and the so-called aunts Thofozi Dube, Eunice Ngcamu, Jabu Majola and Phiwapi Shange hung on her every word. She was even asked to speak in front of the staff, while I was wondering why they would let her speak.
“Even at night some girls were roused from their sleep and accused of “Satanism”. None of the children were allowed to breath a word of this to the parents. Some children were traumatised by the tremendous psychological pressure, fear and confusion. It is not surprising that children leave Kwasizabantu at the first available opportunity and many left the Christian faith. When I told my counselor (Olsen) about this he said that Westerners find it very difficult to understand the African way of doing things.
At special meetings led by the aunts, Imbali Mxolo and Elaine Moodley, the question was asked: “Which of you has spoken to Satan recently?” I was quizzed about my credentials. The aunts wanted to force me to admit that I could feel demons leaning over my shoulders. [19]
At another meeting a man was introduced to us who was at the services from the beginning. He was a “sponge”, someone who had had an out-of-the-body experience. [20] The “sponge”, Imbali and Elaine said that they regularly met each other outside their bodies. The “sponge” went and stood in front of me that evening, looked me straight in the eyes and said: “I met you ‘under the sea’ in 2003.” My first reaction was to laugh and deny this of course, as in 2003 I was a captain in the Salvation Army.” I told the aunts: You can put me in front of choir one and let the Holy Spirit reveal the truth, because I have nothing to hide. [21]
The misgivings against me persisted, because suddenly I was removed from the choir to think about my life. It became more and more clear to me that the “aunts” were false, changing colour like chameleons. My world fell apart and I wondered if they really were in contact with the Christian God. I was prepared to confess my sins, but how could I prove that I had nothing to do with “encounters under the sea”? I am convinced that Thofozi pulls the strings at Kwasizabantu. Together with the “aunts” she reveals all sorts of secrets. The people are so blinded that they do not see what power has given her this authority.”
Conclusions
In Kwasizabantu notions and influences from Traditional Religion and other supernatural ideas are mixed together. There is no question of Satanism, but some people are suspected of maintaining contacts with so-called Satanists. The question is to what extent people are able to separate reality from fantasy. What is clear is that Stegen has deliberately tied his spiritual leadership to the charisma of his Zulu prophetesses. The spiritual messages that have to be carried out without question have permanently changed the course of the lives of members and ex-members. Innumerable lives have been ruined by the interventions of the leader.
Footnotes
17 This testimony was placed in parts on http://www.ksb-alert/forum, from 31 May to 11 June 2013. The forum was not granted a long life, and was suspended some time after the launch.
18 ‘Encounters under the sea’ are notions that occur in myths and sagas about water gods, West African in origin (for the watergod uManlanbo, see: Kronos 30, pp. 184-199). Conceptions of the underwater realm have also become familiar in South Africa, even though Zulus regard Ulwandle, the sea, as dangerous.
19 This is a view from traditional Zulu religion which is called ukaguliswa uMoya. When anyone who experiences pain (tingling) in the shoulders it is said that the spirits are trying to make contact with them. In traditional Zulu religion anyone whom this happens to is viewed as a candidate to become an isangoma.
20 T.K. Oesterreich, Der Okkultismus im modernen Weltbild, cited in K.E. Koch, Seelsorge und Okkultismus. When something or someone is caused to disappear entirely and to reappear, this is called dematerialisation and rematerialisation.
21 This choir acts as a kind of tribunal.