Joyous Celebration Choir Founder Accused of Adultery

Jabu and Kuki

INTERNATIONALLY-acclaimed gospel singer, Joyous Celebration founder and pastor Jabu Hlongwane is allegedly failing to keep his “bishop” zipped in. His underling, Thulani Mncube accuses Hlongwane of Cross Ministries Church in Sandton, of wrecking his marriage.

Mncube is divorcing his wife of five years, Kuki Mncube. Kuki vacated their matrimonial house in Jozi about four months ago after failing to cajole her husband into forgiving her for her indiscretion. A close family friend, who asked not to be named, tells us Thulani became violently ill after discovering that Hlongwane, who was a programme director at his wedding in 2005, was allegedly rogering his wife behind his back. Our source claims Thulani learnt of the affair when he stumbled on an amorous e-mail between Hlongwane and Kuki, a former backing vocalist for Joyous Celebration.

“He wanted to send a quotation to a businessman for a job he had done for him, so he asked his wife to lend him her laptop,” says the source. It is alleged Thulani was greeted by e-mails between his wife and Hlongwane in which they exchanged “pleasantries”. “He confronted her about the affair but she denied it,” says the source. When he gave her the third degree about the e-mails, Kuki wept and apologised for committing adultery. Thulani allegedly lost his cool and klapped her.

He was so shattered that he’d return from work and cry himself to sleep or drink himself into a stupor in a desperate attempt to assuage his pain. “He told me that what hurt him most was the fact that it didn’t cross his mind that Jabu would sleep with his wife. “Jabu was like a brother to him. He would come to their house with his wife Sibongile and take them out for lunch. “He said Jabu would hug and kiss his wife and Thulani would do the same to Jabu’s wife. “They were like family. I mean, this guy was even a programme director at Thulani’s wedding,” says the source.

It is alleged Thulani mustered the courage to confront his boss about the matter. Hlongwane first denied that he had had an affair with Kuki but allegedly confessed when Thulani produced proof. “He then asked if they could talk about it like men.” Thulani drove to Hlongwane’s house in Weltevredenpark, west of Jozi, at about midnight so they could talk about the matter. But Hlongwane hid behind his front door and told him to leave. Thulani left when Hlongwane threatened to call the police.

It is alleged Hlongwane added emotional abuse and arrogance to his ungodly repertoire. “He started telling people at Joyous Celebration that Thulani was jealous of him and he is stuck at Joyous because he has nowhere else to go,” says the source. Upon hearing this, Thulani held a series of meetings with other Joyous Celebration bosses – conductor Lindelani Mkhize and pastor Mthunzi Namba – and asked them to intervene.

“But they wouldn’t entertain the matter,” says the source. The mole says Hlongwane went to the Randburg Magistrates’ Court and sought a protection order against Thulani. “In it he said his house’s electric fence wasn’t working and that Thulani posed a threat to him. How could a man of God do this?” malatjin@sundayworld.co.za