The Rev Victor Malefetse
19th Episcopal District Concerned Pastors and
Lay Convener
Email:malefetsevictor@gmail.com
Cell: + 27 72 413 1612
Date: 21 June 2019
Bishop Harry Seawright
President Council of Bishops
AME Church 250
William St.
NW, Suit 21.15,
Atlanta, GA 30303
To the President and the Council of Bishops
SUBJECT: Response to the 19th Episcopal District Presiding Elders and Pastors Meeting Held on 18
June 2019 at the Wilberforce College
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
On the 15 June 2019, the clergy of the 19th Episcopal District got invited – through smses – to the above impromptu meeting. Even though the invitation did not state the agenda of the meeting, we reasoned that the
purpose thereof was to respond to the 14 June 2019 protest march that called got the immediate recalling of Bishop P.J.M. Kawimbe from the 19th Episcopal District.
May it be noted that the march- which involved pastors and lay members – took place in Johannesburg, just a day before the issuing of the invitation by the episcopal office. Also, the invitation comes immediately after
the Council of Bishops statement that matters relating to the 17th and 19th Episcopal Districts had been referred to the Grievance Committee.
It is against this background that we humbly request that the following matters pertaining to the above meeting receive your expert consideration:
- THE ATTENDANCE REGISTER
We – the aggrieved pastors – attended the meeting because of our love for the AME Church and our hopes that it could help restore sanity in our ailing district. We also signed the attendance register to affirm our readiness to cooperate and participate in the deliberations.
May we therefore, hasten to warn you that our signatures do not in any way, corroborate the deceptive untruths published in the Christian Recorder, that the administrative anomalies we’ve been complaining about since 2017 have been resolved.
Let it be known that we still steadfastly believe that Bishop Kawimbe’s presence in the 19th Episcopal District
is divisive and retrogressive. - PASTORS PROVIDENT FUND REPORT
Applause by a few pastors followed the presentation of the pastors’ provident fund report. However, a large number of pastors remained skeptical about the veracity and authenticity of the report because no documentary proof was provided. Above all, the presentation was grossly misleading because it did not mention that the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) detected anomalies that warranted that a criminal case be opened to investigate fraudulent activity pertaining to the fund. - DECISIONS OF THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL
The outcomes of the Judicial Council on the petitions by pastors belonging to the East, West, and Orangia
Annual Conferences buttress our contention that Bishop Kawimbe has been guilty of violating the positive
law of the church throughout his tenure in our episcopal district.
All the decisions of the Judicial Council found him blameworthy of violating the rights of the petitioning
pastors by flouting legal processes enshrined in the AME Church Book of Discipline. - GENERAL CONFERENCE
The meeting was informed that four delegates to the 2020 General Conference will be sharing a single hotel bedroom, because of the unfavourable state of finances in our district.
This is another confirmation of our complaint that the 19th Episcopal District is in a shambolic state as far as finances are concerned. This sad state of affairs is also prevailing in the WMS. - MISLEADING PRESIDING ELDERS
Bishop Kawimbe boldly informed the meeting that he had realised that dissatisfaction against his administration is not against him per se. That it is borne out of the people’s disdain and disrespect for “people surrounding me,” according to him. This is a very bold admission of our long-held view that the problems besetting the 19th Episcopal District are compounded by the incompetent Presiding Elders who are only interested in protecting their positions than making our district progressive and productive.
This is the reason why they keep quiet even when they see that the district precariously stands on the brink of
catastrophe.
- UNLEASHING OF DECEIT
The recent report in The Christian Recorder, that the meeting achieved peace and understanding in the 19th Episcopal District, is nothing but pure deceit and manipulation of the truth.
- Can a two-hour impromptu meeting solve a problem that’s been existing for seven years?
- Can any sane pastor be satisfied with a provident fund that’s being investigated by the Financial Sector
Conduct Authority (FSCA)?
Amongst the 186 pastors who signed the attendance register, there are also the aggrieved pastors (Lekgotla)
and the fearful and intimidated pastors who privately applaud Lekgotla’s efforts of challenging the rot that
besets our district.
- NO SOLUTIONS REACHED
There were no resolutions adopted and our signatures do not contradict the complaints we’ve hitherto voiced
out since 2017. - CONCLUSION
As representatives of more than 1200 clergy and lay members who signed the petition for his recalling, we steadfastly assert that Bishop Kawimbe’s seven years administration has hindered progress in the 19th Episcopal District.
Nothing affirms his penchant for contravening the positive law of the church than the Judicial Council decision that found him blameworthy of violating the rights of pastors who had petitioned the illegality of their suspensions.
Lastly, we hope that the editor of The Christian Recorder will find it prudent to publish this missive.
Yours in Jesus
The Lekgotla Pastors Executive
Rev. Victor Malefetse
Rev. Solomon Maans
Rev. Teboho Klaas
Rev. Sibusiso Gule
Rev. Mtunzi Mzangwa
Rev. Ramasedi Shuping
Rev. Themba Mali
Rev. Motseko Potse
Rev. Basimane Thotobolo
Rev. Thabo Senatle
