Sad Day for 3000 Sandlana Supporters as Court Declines Bail Application
It was a sad day for supporters of International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) leader Mike Sandlana after his bail application was declined in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Hatfield, Pretoria on Monday.
The confident, prayerful 3000 supporters had braved the intermittent rain and gathered outside the court hoping that their leader would be released on bail, but they were disappointed when this didn’t happen.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) opposed Sandlana’s release on bail and his trial will start in earnest on 6 March 2026.
Sandlana is charged with corruption and money laundering together with sitting Pretoria High Court judge Portia Phalane and other two people including the judge’s son.
The other three accused are out on bail and it is only Sandlana who has been denied bail on this matter.
All the accused were arrested last month.
Sandlana is the leader of the Jerusalem faction of the IPHC which is based in Brits near Pretoria while other factions are based in Springs and Johannesburg.
After the police van carrying Sandlana drove away from the court building, the aggrieved supporters, some with tears in their eyes, showed their loyalty by shouting and cheering for him.
Several church elders addressed Sandlana’s supporters outside the court amidst the persistent rain.
Sandlana is affectionately referred to as “Tau” (great lion) by his supporters and one of the church elders Japhter Baloyi, IPHC Priest said the following during his address to Sandlana’s followers:
“Tau Tau has a message to you and his message is that you must stay strong even under difficult conditions and when his words reach our hearts they resemble everlasting life,” said Priest Baloyi.
“We know that Tau Tau is innocent; he is the lord of lords and a victor who will fight for us all, and our legal team is not satisfied with the court’s decision to deny Tau Tau bail and will therefore make an urgent application against the decision of the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in the High Court in Pretoria,” he said.
“Tau Tau is still strong and won’t be defeated by satan now, and so we must stand together and be strong as we go to Kanana City to observe the feast of Paballo,” he said.