Anglican archbishop Thabo Makgoba is a heartbroken man

Congregants lied about their bishop

- By Ngwako Malatji

Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba is reeling in pain after discovering during a four-months investigation that the allegations that a bishop of their Gauteng church had sexually harassed female congregants and had improper relationships with wives and ex-wives of clergymen were big fat lies. Makgoba wants the branch to be placed under admistration and those who made the spurious allegations to face the music.

The probe by an external task team was commissioned by Makgoba, the national head of the church, to investigate complaints by a group of East Rand clergy against Bishop Charles May, head of the Diocese of the Highveld.

The group - which named itself #SaveOurDiocese - alleged that May had inappropriate relationships with the wives or ex-wives of clergymen and also protected a priest accused of sexual abuse.

The group also accused May of embezzling church funds to the tune of R5-million from a charity organisation and using the loot to buy land for himself.

The task team's report stated that the allegations against May were reported to the Safe and Inclusive Church Commission and the police.