Barnabas lekganyane
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Edward Lekganyane
Religious leader (1922 – 1967)
Edward Lekganyane, popularly known as "Kgoshi Edward" (1922 – 21 October 1967), was the leader of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) from Easter Sunday, April 17, 1949, until his death eighteen years later. During this time he used his charisma and organizational abilities to expand the ZCC from about 50,000 to 600,000[1] members, while also reshaping numerous facets of the church. During his tenure as bishop, the ZCC emerged as South Africa's largest independent church, while Lekganyane became arguably the wealthiest and most powerful African in apartheid-era South Africa.
Early life and career
Edward was the second-born son of Engenas Lekganyane and his senior wife, Salfina Rabodiba, and was born in Thabakgone in the Mamabolo Reserve east of Polokwane. Although his exact birth date is unknown, he is known to have been born during a smallpox epidemic that led his father to quarantine his household for some time.[2] At this time, Engenas Lekganyane was the Transvaal leader of the Zion Apostolic Fait
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Joseph Engenas Lekganyane, founder of the Dove branch of the ZCC, is born
Former leader and founder of the Dove branch of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC), Joseph Engenas Matlhakanye Lekganyane, was born at Thabakgone Mamabolo, Pietersburg district (now Polokwane in Limpopo). Joseph was the fifth and favourate son of Engenas Barnabas Lekganyane, the founder of the original Zion Christian Church before it was split into two branches. Barnabas chose and presented Joseph to his brothers, elders and his advocate as his successor just before he died in 1972. After his father's death, Joseph claimed leadership of the church. The position was disputed by his brother Edward. As result of the strife, the ZCC split in two, each brother leading a branch with the Dove and the Star as their respective symbols. In 1965, Joseph Lekganyane changed the name of his church to St Engenas Zion Christian Church and added the symbol of a dove to the ZCC badge.
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Joseph Engenas Matlhakanye Lekganyane
Joseph Lekganyane was born in 21 January 1931 in Moria. His father is the founder of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) in 1910. He attended school up to standard six and later a junior certificate (standard nine).
Joseph Lekganyane’s prominence in the church developed when he became a personal driver for his father. This position brought him closer to various church leaders and the inner working of the ZCC. After the death of his father, Joseph Lekganyane claimed leadership of the church. However, his brother Edward Lekganyane disputed his claim after his return from Natal where he worked. This caused serious conflict leading to the split of the church in the ZCC of the Dove and ZCC of the Star as their respective symbols. ZCC (Dove) was headed by Joseph Lekganyane and its stronghold was in rural areas. Edward Lekganyane’s stronghold was in urban areas, especially Johannesburg, were many people still believed that succession should follow traditional lines of primogeniture. On 15 September 1949, elders of the Church and Advocate P
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