A 2019 video of EFF MP Naledi Chirwa at Pastor Shepherd Bushiri’s church is circulating again on social media in 2026. Image:
A video of EFF MP Naledi Chirwa at Pastor Shepherd Bushiri’s church is circulating widely on social media again. The Naledi Chirwa Bushiri video is not new. Bushiri originally posted it on his Facebook page in September 2019. However, it is making another round in 2026 and has once again captured public attention.
What the Naledi Chirwa Bushiri Video Shows
The footage shows Chirwa at the front of Bushiri’s Enlightened Christian Gathering Church. Bushiri prophesies over her, telling her she will one day become a great leader. Furthermore, Bushiri lays his hand on her head as he continues speaking.
Chirwa then falls to the floor. Bushiri asks her to get up and she rises from the floor. She then repeatedly says the words “I receive, Papa” to Bushiri as he continues speaking over her.
Bushiri also addresses politicians who visit his church before elections but do not return afterwards. “All these politicians come here and after elections they didn’t come and testify. The Lord will bless you. You will make a great leader. He will give you wisdom,” he says in the video.
What Happened When It First Went Viral
The video first spread widely in December 2019 during the EFF’s elective conference. Julius Malema appeared to reference the footage directly in remarks to delegates. “You will do those things of kneeling there before Bushiri, because some of you even thank him for taking you to parliament. I am not your father ‘Papa Papa Bushiri’. I am not a father of anyone. ‘I receive Papa Papa, I am in parliament Papa Papa’,” Malema said.
Many interpreted the remarks as a direct rebuke of Chirwa. Furthermore, the episode sparked significant public debate about the relationship between politicians and popular church leaders in South Africa.
Why the Video Is Circulating Again
The Naledi Chirwa Bushiri video resurfaced in June 2026 for a specific reason. Chirwa persistently pushed a xenophobia narrative on X around the death of 19-year-old Nhlamulo Sambo in Mossel Bay. She amplified claims that Sambo was killed because he spoke Xitsonga and was mistaken for a foreign national.
However, Western Cape police dismissed that narrative. Preliminary investigations indicated that Sambo was allegedly attacked after breaking into a shack and stealing property. Furthermore, police confirmed there was no evidence linking his death to xenophobia or anti-immigrant protests.
As a result, people on X began questioning Chirwa’s credibility. Many described her conduct as performative. Furthermore, critics argued she had pushed an unverified and ultimately incorrect narrative in parliament and on social media. The 2019 Bushiri video then resurfaced as people made a broader argument about her consistency and judgment.
Chirwa had not issued any new public statement about the video circulating again at the time of publication.
For more on the Bushiri extradition case visit npa.gov.za.
Editors Note Bushiri originally posted the video referenced in this article on his Facebook page in September 2019. It is not a new incident. Mzansi Today Live presents it in its correct historical context. Mzansi Today Live will update this article if Naledi Chirwa responds publicly to the footage circulating again.