In a powerful and engaging interview that’s making waves across South Africa’s faith communities, activist Sihle Sibisi shares her painful journey. She opens up about decades of grooming, abuse, and unimaginable loss that turned her world upside down, yet she remains determined in her fight for justice.
The founder of the Kwanele Foundation and host of the eye-opening “Fake Pastors” series recently opened up in an emotional tell-all. Her heartfelt words serve as a powerful reminder that, beneath the bright lights of the pulpit, there can often be a darker side of exploitation.
Sibisi, a brave survivor of gender-based violence who became a whistleblower, shared her intense journey into the world of religious manipulation without holding back. It all kicked off in Johannesburg with somebody named Philip Banda at Impact for Christ Ministries.
That’s where the grooming began, pretty subtle at first, just some whispers about divine favours that slowly drew her away from her family and into this whirlwind of control. Things took a turn for the worse when she became the first Black South African woman trafficked to Nigeria’s Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) under the late TB Joshua, a televangelist whose empire fell apart when the BBC took a closer look.
“She shared that she had to sleep with the ‘man of God’ just to be able to sing on the praise team,” her voice trembling as she spoke about the hurt from those forced encounters.
What began as a search for spiritual comfort turned into a situation of serious abuse, where followers were set against one another, families were tossed aside like old sermon notes, and loyalty was judged by how blindly obedient one could be.
The scars go way beyond just betrayal. On January 11, 2024, Sibisi’s 10-year-old daughter tragically passed away due to a ruptured brain aneurysm, a sudden and heartbreaking loss that left her overwhelmed with grief.
But the vultures were already circling: cyberbullies from the Christian fringes, feeling bold after her revelations, unleashed their venom online, insisting that the girl’s death was God’s punishment for “touching the anointed” or revealing truths about predatory pastors.
“They called me a prostitute, claiming I’d slept my way through men of God,” Sibisi said, wiping away tears that revealed so much more than anger ever could. Her son is also facing his own health challenges, a new struggle that keeps her on her toes, worried about history repeating itself with those she loves.
Even with all the chaos, Sibisi’s story isn’t just about sadness; it’s a guide for coming to terms with it all. In the BBC’s eye-opening documentary “The Cult of TB Joshua”, her story stood out among many global survivors, backing up claims that were often brushed off as mere heresy.
With “Fake Pastors”, she’s now calling out accused leaders, encouraging them to confront investigations directly instead of hiding away. “Sure, some allegations could be unfounded, but we can’t skip out on accountability,” she stresses, commending the CRL Rights Commission for really listening to what victims have to say.
It’s this shift, from being hunted to becoming a guide, that drives her journey of faith free from false idols, going to services not as a follower but as someone searching, absorbing scripture without any doubt.
South Africa’s religious scene is still feeling the impact of TB Joshua’s death in 2021 and the controversies that came after. People are really paying attention to what she has to say.
The new Section 22 committee, which is focused on taking away preaching licences from those who haven’t been proven guilty, really resonates with her calls for reform; it’s all about protecting against secondary victimisation.
As the trolls fade away, Sibisi rises above, turning her pain into something meaningful. “God is the one who brings justice,” she says, a quiet spark in her eyes. Every young woman who has been silenced has a journey that shouts: Break free, speak up, and heal with strength.
