Row over church funds continues

Disciplinary case on hold

THE disciplinary hearing of two church members who called for accountability into millions missing from church coffers was postponed yesterday.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (Elcsa) has been embroiled in controversy relating to R40-million disinvested from insurance company Old Mutual.

Yesterday, two senior church members, Ruby Sikakane and Trevor Sibande – who sit on the church council – were to appear before a disciplinary hearing after their suspension relating to their participation in the synod meeting of the diocese in July 2014, which placed Bishop Phaswana on administrative leave for refusing to implement synod decisions.

Their hearings were postponed after Thulani Msomi, a senior official of the church, failed to report to yesterday ’ s hearing.

The duo were suspended for:

Inciting church members to co-sign documents for the former bishop to go on administrative leave so certain resolutions could be implemented in the synod;

Disregarding the church’s constitution; and officiating a meeting.

The Lutheran Confessors have raised concern as to how the two were isolated out of 30-odd members who were part of the group.

“We are interested in knowing what the documents will have to say against the charges laid against our members,” a confessor said.

“We know there will be lot of loopholes because we’ve been part of those meetings and there is nothing [they can] concoct that will come with such drastic things that can convict someone.”

The hearing was postponed to the first week of August.