Woman tells of horny ’ pastor

HE HELD ME VERY TIGHT’

A YOUNG female congregant has given details of how a “horny” pastor lifted her up and pressed her against his crotch, telling her how he felt about her.

The 22-year-old, who no longer goes to the Methodist Church of South Africa in Mamelodi East Extension, told Sowetan about her alleged experience at the hands of Reverend Zacharia Mthombeni during a church synod in May 2012.

She said Mthombeni nominated her and another member of the youth organisation to join him at a three-day synod of the church in GaRankuwa. They slept at a guesthouse in Rosslyn, north of Pretoria. “He asked me to give him a good night hug. He held me tight and lifted me. I pleaded with him to put me down. He also said if I felt cold at night, I should join him in his bedroom.”

The woman told Sowetan that “while he was holding me tight, I could feel that he was horny”.

“His private parts were hard. He then left the room.”

On the second night, Mthombeni again knocked on her bedroom door but she ignored the knock, she said.

A few days later she attended a youth league meeting where she reported the matter.

“Someone from that meeting told the reverend. He came and pleaded with me not to talk about it anymore. We then took it to the church elders who treated it lightly.”

She said the matter was then taken to the office of the superintendent.

“A disciplinary hearing was held and I was not happy with the outcome because nothing was done to him.”

The woman said she also went to the Mamelodi East police with her uncle to report the matter.

But a police captain helping her to open the case then called Mthombeni, she said.

She said the priest later arrived at the police station with other church officials.

She said the church lead- ers convinced the officer that the matter should be discussed internally and “we left without the case being registered ”.

Spokesman for Mamelodi East police Warrant Officer Mike Mbewe confirmed that no case had been opened but said they were investigating the woman’s allegations.

He appealed to the woman to come forward and provide them with information and possibly identify the officer.

Bishop Mntambo Themba, of the Methodist Church of South Africa, confirmed there were problems at church but said they were dealing with them.

He said a disciplinary hearing was held after the allegations of sexual abuse.

He said Mthombeni was not suspended.

“We will continue to hold consultations until the matter is resolved,” he said.

Mthombeni declined to comment, saying he had no powers to speak about matters involving the church.