It’s been reported that notorious Nigerian evangelist TB Joshua claims to have seen Brenda Fassie burning in hell.
According to the site Imzansi, Joshua prayed to God asking him to show him hell and was granted the wish two weeks later.
“I prayed for almost three hours. Suddenly I lost control of my body, my eyes became blurry. I saw four angels, three of them were walking in front of me while the fourth angel was behind me,” he was quoted as saying.
“The smell was unbearable. You wouldn’t wish even your worst enemy to be in that place. I saw Brenda Fassie being consumed by fire and screaming in agony,” he apparently said.
Fassie who died in 2004 of an overdose, is one of South Africa’s most iconic and outrageous pop stars. Known as the “Madonna of The Townships” she is a beloved LGBT icon who was open about her lesbian relationships.
Joshua, who is said to be Nigeria’s third-richest pastor, reportedly went on to say: “I also saw other famous people and Christians who did not forgive others while they were still on earth.”
It’s not clear if the report about Joshua’s claim is meant to be legitimate. The article, published online on Monday, is located in the “satire” section of the news site. However, it’s neither humorous nor obviously satirical and would simply be in bad taste if made up.
The alleged statements are not outlandish; Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations has been linked to extreme anti-gay views.
In June 2015, a disturbing video emerged of the “exorcism” of a man said to be possessed by a gay demon by a preacher at his Lagos-based church.
In the video, the preacher, named Wise Man Christopher, confronts a young man and the “demonic authority that controlled his life”.
The Synagogue Church of All Nations has been accused of criminal negligence following the 2014 collapse of a guesthouse on its premises; killing 115 people, 84 of them South Africans.
Joshua and his supporters claim that the disaster was as a result of sabotage and the “work of Satan”.