Pastor Mukhuba: From classroom to megachurch amid controversy and arrests
Few religious leaders in South Africa provoke as much debate as Pastor Mukhuba. In under two decades, she transformed a handful of worshippers meeting in a classroom into a congregation that fills a Soweto megachurch and reaches followers across Southern Africa through her own television network. The pastor had a high-profile arrest in 2021, public clashes with critics, and there are lingering questions about her personal life.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Pastor Mpfariseni Mukhuba founded Unity Fellowship Church in Soweto in 2004.
- She was arrested in February 2021 after a confrontation between her congregants and Johannesburg Metro Police officers enforcing Covid-19 regulations.
- In late 2024, Pastor Mukhuba launched high-profile defamation lawsuits against religious commentators Brother Enigma and Solly Poopedi.
- She is married to Dr Theophilus Mukhuba, a North-West University academic.
- They reportedly have three children.
Profile summary
Full name | Pastor Mpfariseni Mukhuba |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 1 February |
Place of birth | Venda province, South Africa |
Current residence | Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa |
Nationality | South African |
Ethnicity | Black |
Religion | Christianity |
Zodiac sign | Aquarius |
Eye colour | Black |
Hair colour | Black |
Marital status | Married |
Spouse | Dr Theophilus Mukhuba |
Children | 3 |
Education | University of Venda, University of the Witwatersrand |
Profession | Pastor, gospel singer, and clinical psychologist |
Biography: Who is Pastor Mukhuba?
Pastor Mpfariseni Mukhuba is a South African religious leader and the founder of Unity Fellowship Church, one of the country's more prominent megachurches. She is also a gospel artist and clinical psychologist.
How old is Pastor Mukhuba?
Pastor Mukhuba's date of birth has never been officially confirmed. She hails from the Venda region of Limpopo, South Africa, and has kept most details of her early life private.
Her official page has previously marked her birthday on February 1, but the year of her birth remains undisclosed.
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Educational background
Pastor Mpfariseni Mukhuba holds an honours degree in Applied Psychology from the University of Venda. She also holds a Master's in Clinical Psychology from the University of the Witwatersrand.
Pastor Mukhuba's church
The South African religious leader was ordained in 2003 and founded Unity Fellowship Church in Soweto in 2004. She started with a small group of worshippers in a classroom.
The church has since grown into a megachurch that can seat more than 5,000 congregants at a time. In 2015, she opened a second branch in Cape Town, and the ministry has long planned to build a larger complex on a 100-hectare property in Eikenhof, Johannesburg.
The ministry runs its own television channel, the Unity Broadcasting Network (UBN), launched in 2011. The channel broadcasts Sunday services and special events. Followers can also stream sermons and past services through the church's official YouTube and social media channels.
In early 2026, Unity Fellowship Church marked its 21st anniversary, with celebrations streamed via UBN and the church's social channels.
Pastor Mukhuba continues to expand the church's community outreach beyond South Africa's borders, including youth and healing-focused events reported in neighbouring countries such as Botswana.
The head of the Unity Fellowship Church is also a talented singer. She sings gospel music and has released an album called Time of Worship. Pastor Mukhuba's songs are often sung during praise and worship sessions at her church.
Professionally, the pastor is a clinical psychologist and owns a private practice. Since she is dedicated to the service of God, she has employed other professionals to manage the practice.
Who is Pastor Mukhuba's spiritual father?
The South African preacher has not publicly named one specific individual as her spiritual father. Even so, she has publicly honoured senior African church leaders on milestone occasions.
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She joined tributes to Zimbabwean Archbishop Dr Ezekiel Guti on his 100th birthday in 2023, praising his decades of ministry:
Happy Birthday to the Archbishop & we are really inspired.
Who is Pastor Mukhuba's husband?
She is married to Dr Theophilus Mukhuba, an academic at North-West University. In past interviews, she has described her husband as deeply supportive of her ministry.
The couple has kept most family details private. In 2019, Pastor Mukhuba celebrated her husband on Father's Day. She wrote on Facebook:
Help me wish my master, Professor Mukhuba a blessed Father’s Day. He is a dear husband, a father to many and a teacher whom God is using to impart knowledge to many people. We thank God for your life. May the Lord bless you more and more!
Who are Pastor Mukhuba's children?
It is reported that Dr Theophilus and his spouse have three children. Their names have not been publicly disclosed. They keep their family largely out of the media spotlight even as the pastor's ministry continues to grow.
Recent legal disputes and public controversy
Pastor Mpfariseni Mukhuba has been a highly influential and controversial figure in South Africa's religious landscape. Here is a breakdown of her legal disputes and public controversies.
2021 arrest controversy
On 28 February 2021, Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers arrived at a Unity Fellowship Church Sunday service in Midway, Soweto. The officers showed up following noise complaints from nearby residents and to check compliance with Covid-19 gathering regulations.
According to the church's account, congregants knelt in the street outside and prayed as police prepared to enter. Video footage that circulated online showed officers forcing their way into the building.
The confrontation escalated, and JMPD vehicles were damaged. Two officers were injured and hospitalised, and police called for backup.
Pastor Mukhuba and several congregants were arrested and charged with assault, public violence, and malicious damage to property. They were also arrested on account of contravening the Disaster Management Act's Covid-19 regulations.
Addressing the media and her congregation outside the Protea Magistrate's Court, the South African pastor compared the police action to a well-known historical tragedy. Her husband, Theophilus Mukhuba, said:
This is not just an attack on Pastor Mukhuba, it’s an attack on Christianity. If you look at the manner at which the ANC government has dealt with the churches, it has always been unfair even before Covid-19.
He went on:
It’s time now the churches must arise. It’s no longer a political struggle that we are fighting. We are fighting for a moral regeneration agenda.
The case dragged on for months, with the pastor making at least seven court appearances at the Protea Magistrate's Court by August 2021.
The legal battle concluded on March 28, 2024, at the Protea Magistrates Court after dragging on for three years. Pastor Mukhuba and her six co-accused were found not guilty and completely exonerated on all charges. The pastor wrote on Facebook following the victory.
We got arrested on 28 February 2021, we got bail & started attending court from the 2nd of March same year. We were in court for 3 years. We appeared at court 40 times. We won the case a day before Good Friday, on the 28th of March 2024.
Defamation lawsuit
Pastor Mukhuba also launched high-profile defamation lawsuits between late 2024 and early 2025 against online personalities and podcasters like Brother Enigma and Solly Poopedi, who publicly accused her of being a 'fake pastor' and a "witch" respectively.
She won the legal battle against Enigma, who had labeled her 'fake pastor' in a viral video. The court reportedly ordered Chris Network to pay Pastor Mukhuba close to R500k in damages on behalf of Enigma as compensation.
The case against Solly Poopedi, who labeled her 'a witch' still remains unresolved. The pastor launched a R2 million defamation of character lawsuit against Poopedi and the broadcasting platform, Chris Kunene Podcast channel.
FAQs
- What is the name of Pastor Mukhuba's church? Her church is called Unity Fellowship Church, founded in Soweto in 2004.
- Who is Pastor Mukhuba's husband? Dr Theophilus Mukhuba, an academic at North-West University, is her spouse.
- What is Pastor Mukhuba's age? Her exact age and birth year have never been publicly confirmed, though her page has marked her birthday on February 1 in past posts.
- Does Pastor Mukhuba have children? Yes, she and her husband reportedly have three children, though their names haven't been publicly disclosed.
- Why was Pastor Mukhuba arrested? She was arrested in February 2021 after a confrontation between her congregants and Johannesburg Metro Police officers who arrived to enforce COVID-19 gathering regulations. Her charges included assault, public violence, and malicious property damage.
- Which state is Pastor Lazarus Muoka from? Pastor Lazarus Muoka is the founder and General Overseer of The Lord's Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries in Nigeria. He is from Umuhu-Okabia in the Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria.
Pastor Mukhuba built a megachurch from a single classroom, while also becoming a lightning rod for controversy over her 2021 arrest and outspoken public statements. Whether admired for her charisma or criticised for her conduct, she remains one of South Africa's most closely watched religious figures today.
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