CAPE TOWN: The Afrika Mayibuye Movement is set to intensify its challenge for political control of the City of Cape Town, with prominent pastor and spiritual leader Apostle Moosa Joshua Mohlala, popularly known as Apostle MJ Mohlala, emerging as a key figure in the movement’s campaign in the Western Cape.

Mohlala is the founder and leader of Shekinah Healing Ministries, a church established in Cape Town in 2003 and based in Philippi. His ministry has built a significant following through its focus on healing, prophecy, spiritual restoration and community outreach.

According to the ministry’s biography, Mohlala’s spiritual journey began in kaNyamazane near Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, where he says he experienced prophetic dreams and visions before entering the ministry.

Over the years, he has become a prominent religious figure in Cape Town’s townships and has attracted thousands of worshippers to his services. In 2023, his church hosted a large gathering for single congregants seeking marriage partners, highlighting the ministry’s broader role in community life.

Mohlala has also previously entered the political space. Daily Maverick reported in 2024 that he was a senior figure in the People’s Movement for Change and described him as an influential pastor in Cape Town’s townships.

His relationship with Mayibuye dates back to the movement’s consultation process. Mayibuye’s own journal records that its delegation visited Shekinah Healing Ministries in Philippi, where it engaged with Mohlala and the congregation on the movement’s vision for political, economic and social transformation.

The potential deployment of a well-known religious leader into the Cape Town mayoral contest comes as Mayibuye seeks to establish itself as a new political force ahead of the 4 November 2026 local government elections.

The movement has previously said it intends to contest the City of Cape Town and has positioned itself around issues including unemployment, service delivery, economic emancipation, community empowerment and ethical governance.

Mohlala’s profile could give Mayibuye access to established community and faith-based networks in Cape Town, particularly in areas where churches play an important role in addressing social and economic challenges.

The contest for Cape Town is expected to be closely watched, with the DA seeking to retain control of the municipality while several opposition parties attempt to make inroads into the country’s second-largest city.

Visit MDNtv YouTube Channel for our video content