The Archbishop of Cape Town conducted a press conference on Tuesday following a review panel’s conclusion that the Anglican Church in South Africa did not adequately inform other churches about the “high risk” associated with child abuser John Smyth.
“I fully accept the findings of the panel. I recognize that during Smyth’s tenure in Cape Town, members of the church were vulnerable to the possibility of his abuse, and I, along with the diocese, extend our apologies to our congregants and the broader community for failing to safeguard individuals from that danger,” stated Thabo Makgoba.
Makgoba noted that the panel’s review examined the church’s historical actions in South Africa, including its response to a report regarding Smyth’s abuse in the U.K. during 1981 and 1982, as well as incidents in Zimbabwe in the 1990s, which were reported by the Diocese of Ely in 2013.
He also mentioned that, to date, there have been no reported cases of abuse within the South African church.
