Thousands of mourners gathered at the Israel Apostolic Church in Zion at Lutomboni to pay their last respects to the late gogo Vho-Dzhafurou Naledzani Sophy Tshindane.

Born from a royal family at Thononda village 84 years ago, gogo Tshindane married the late bishop Musimunwe Manzhi Tshindane in the early fifties. Together they founded the Israel Apostolic Church in Zion. The two went through the ranks of the church until gogoTshindane became a “Dzhafurou”, the highest female rank within the church.

She led the congregation for years while her husband moved throughout the country, setting up new congregations. She continued to lead the church after her husband passed on until her only son, Elijah Tshindane, was ordained as the new bishop seven years ago. She succumbed to a long illness on Friday, 25 September. She is survived by three children, bishop Elijah Tshinda and two daughters, 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

During her funeral, everyone described her as a peace-loving person and an excellent motivational speaker.