Zion Christian Church Exposes Michael Kgotso Serepo as a Fraud

Johannesburg – The Zion Christian Church (Z.C.C.) has announced that Michael Kgotso Serepo is falsely posing as “Maditobane Barnabas Lekganyane”.

On Monday, 23 June 2025, the Z.C.C. admonished Serepo for wrongly asserting that he is the son of His Grace, The Right Reverend, Bishop Dr. BE Lekganyane, the church’s leader.

The Z.C.C. indicated that Serepo and his followers have been disseminating misleading information on social media, claiming that their ‘Zion Creationist Church’ is affiliated with one of the largest African-initiated churches.

The Z.C.C. has a longstanding heritage that dates back to 1910.

Currently, the church has an estimated membership exceeding 10 million.

On 10 June 2024, the Z.C.C. along with its leader, His Grace, The Right Reverend, Bishop Dr. BE Lekganyane, obtained an interdict from the Pretoria High Court (Case No. 021534/2022) that prohibits Serepo and his followers from:

• Wearing Z.C.C. religious attire, symbols, or artifacts, or displaying such items during their gatherings;
• Publicly claiming to be members of the Z.C.C. or asserting any connection to the church;
• Publicly declaring that Michael Kgotso Serepo is the son of His Grace, The Right Reverend, Bishop Dr. BE Lekganyane;

“Serepo was also prohibited from calling himself Maditobane Barnabas Lekganyane and from using that name to support his false claims,” said the Z.C.C.

The Judge instructed the Director General of Home Affairs to take necessary measures to revoke the ID card issued to Serepo that displays the name “Maditobane Barnabas Lekganyane”.

In compliance with the Court Order, the Director General of Home Affairs sent a letter of intent to cancel Serepo’s ID document on 10 July 2024.

Serepo was granted 14 days to challenge the cancellation of his ID card that bore the name Maditobane Barnabas Lekganyane, as required by the Court.

The letter from the Director General also indicated that Serepo had submitted inaccurate information when applying for his second birth certificate.

Serepo mistakenly claimed that Isaia Lekganyane was his biological father.

The Director General clearly informed him that he violated Section 31(1)(b) of the Birth and Death Registration Act 51 of 1992, which subjects him to penalties including fines or imprisonment.

Serepo did not contest the decision of the Director General of Home Affairs to annul his identity card bearing the name Maditobane Barnabas Lekganyane, as he complied with the Court Order issued on 10 June 2024 for breaching the act.

On 31 July 2024, the Department of Home Affairs updated their records, changing the name from Maditobane Barnabas Lekganyane to Michael Kgotso Serepo.

This change was officially published in Government Gazette No. 52388, Government Notices No. 6050 and 6051 on 28 March 2025.

The Court Order dated 10 June 2024 was delivered to Serepo on 24 June 2024 to inform him about the outcome of the interdict application by the Z.C.C. and His Grace, The Right Reverend, Bishop Dr. BE Lekganyane.

The Z.C.C. stated that despite Serepo’s awareness of the interdict and the associated risks of violating a court order, he continues to spread misleading information on Facebook.

According to the Z.C.C., Serepo continues to identify himself as “Maditobane Barnabas Lekganyane” and claims that no changes have been made in the Home Affairs records.

Furthermore, Serepo has reportedly encouraged his followers at the Zion Creationist Church to wear Z.C.C. religious attire, symbols, and artifacts.

Reports indicate that Serepo advocates for his associates to display Z.C.C. insignia during their religious gatherings to reinforce their deceptive claims of association with the Z.C.C.

Earlier this month, on 5 June 2025, the Pretoria High Court ordered the Sheriff of the Court, or his Deputy, to communicate the Court Order from 10 June 2024 to the congregation of the Zion Creationist Church and to Serepo.

“When the Sheriff, through his Deputy, attempted to carry out this order on 01 June 2025, he was blocked and prevented from entering the church, with Serepo showing approval,” stated the Z.C.C.

“The Deputy Sheriff experienced harassment and threats from these members, which made it impossible for him to access the church where the congregation was singing.”

The Z.C.C. has instructed its attorneys to pursue appropriate legal action against Serepo and members of his Zion Creationist Church in the High Court.

Efforts to receive a comment from Serepo or his ‘Zion Creationist Church’ have been unsuccessful thus far.

Nonetheless, Serepo shared a distress message on Facebook under the name “Maditobane Barnabas Lekganyane”.