Statement by Archbishop Thabo Makgoba on the Panel of Inquiry into Smyth abuse case

On November 22nd, 2024 I appointed a high-level inquiry into the implications for the Anglican Church of Southern Africa of a Church of England review of serial violent abuse by Mr John Smyth in the UK and Zimbabwe in the 1980s and 1990s. I appointed former Supreme Court of Appeal judge Ian Farlam, former UCT vice-chancellor Dr Mamphela Ramphele and Advocate Jeremy Gauntlett SC KC to conduct the inquiry.

On the evening of Thursday January 16th, 2025 I received a letter concerning a quite separate allegation of abuse, in which the complainant said that if Advocate Gauntlett did not step down from the panel by January 31st, he (the complainant) would make the allegation public. Without further communication, the complainant later that evening published details of his allegations on social media. No complaint is known to have been made to Safe Church (ACSA’s specialist safeguarding body) or to the church itself on the matter over the past 40 years.

On the morning of Friday January 17th, Advocate Gauntlett proposed that in the circumstances created by the letter he step down from the panel, conveying a concern that the work of the Smyth inquiry not be in any way delayed or obstructed by the issue. I accepted his offer, subject to consultation with other members of the panel. As someone whose handling of the Smyth matter is being investigated by the panel, I have kept a distance from its work but felt that in the circumstances I needed to take this step.

I held those consultations at Bishopscourt in Cape Town today, and have accepted Advocate Gauntlett's offer on the well-recognised principle in the law that even the appearance of a conflict of interest can be enough to trigger a recusal from a matter. Justice Farlam and Dr Ramphele have accepted Advocate Gauntlett's decision with regret, and have agreed that they will continue the Panel’s inquiry to completion. It is expected that this will be accomplished shortly.

I await the panel's judgment on the effectiveness of our efforts to eliminate abuse within the church, and my heart goes out to victims and survivors of Smyth. My heart breaks when I recall the account in the Church of England's Makin report of the violence and pain that they went or are still going through.