Following the trend of video showing Pastor Alph Lukau shouting “rise up” to a man laying down in a coffin who then jerks upright to cheers from worshippers,criticism have hailed in addition to a national debate over the genuineness of the resurrection.
Three funeral companies who say they were manipulated by the “scheme” are now taking legal action for damage to their reputation.
Kingdom Blue, Kings & Queens Funeral Services and Black Phoenix told local media that church representatives tricked them in different ways.
“Alleged family members of the deceased” told the Kings & Queens Funeral Services they had had a “dispute with a different funeral service provider”.
The customers also allegedly placed “Black Phoenix stickers on their private car” to look credible to Kings & Queens Funeral Services when they went to hire a hearse from them.
The coffin, the funeral directors say, was acquired from Kingdom Blue.
Pastor Lukau’s church, Alleluia Ministries International, has not responded to the BBC’s request for comment.
The BBC’s Milton Nkosi says the video has sparked a national debate on fake pastors and had been widely condemned by established religious groups.
It is the latest high-profile row over religious leaders in the country who make extraordinary claims to their congregations.
South Africans have taken to social media with the hashtag #ResurrectionChallenge to mimic the ordeal hilariously as the norm of internet.