Church Abuse Scandal: serial abuser's time in South Africa exposed

He's been described as the 'most prolific serial abuser associated with the Church of England.' And by 2013 the highest levels of the church knew John Smyth had a history of grooming and beating teenage boys.
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Today, the Anglican Church of Southern Africa apologised for failing to protect congregants and the wider community in Cape Town from the 'high risk' of abuse Smyth potentially posed.
This programme has uncovered new evidence of the scale of his continued abusive behaviour in South Africa as recently as 2015. He was even planning a holiday camp for children as young as 7.
Warning: This report contains descriptions of a sexual nature.
The Church of England has released a statement in response to our report stating that: 'It is evident that Smyth was allowed to go abroad in the 1980s, with the full knowledge by some in the Church of his abuse. This was wrong and should not have happened.'
But, they also point out the Anglican Church of Southen Africa's communication of the danger Smyth posed 'fell short of what the circumstances demanded.'
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[@stevecrozet306]

A disgusting person. The archbishop should be brought to justice as an accomplice. This is still going on today.

[@tanyav9159]

He should never have reached SA, it should have been sorted out way before that.

[@ilektrakaratasiou3352]

He was abusing his own son too, why did his wife not report it? Why did she not take her kids and leave this sick excuse of a human? Such wives haveany issues themselves...

[@classicaldeb]

I can't believe his wife was fully complicit! 😢

[@andrescalvobarrantes2896]

Now....this is real journalism. Appreciation to Channel 4 News

[@anchendorfling5468]

Really... an apology for sexual Abuse.??? That child's life is ruined and you apologise.

[@klar7946]

One wonders why the Churches are empty.

[@marynavanvuuren7679]

Veral die Katolieke kerke...

[@charmainehopkins2372]

It is criminal to allow & enable a pedophile to continue in his sin & abuse.

[@titteryenot4524]

Grown men in dresses attended to by boys in their own dresses: what could _possibly_ go wrong? 🤦‍♂️

[@Annie-ZA]

EXACTLY!

[@tjtjmich16p]

In a normal world. Nothing, But when wicked people are given power their darkness fantasies come to light.

[@vee6988]

Gross. This is disgusting.

[@melliecrann-gaoth4789]

The church of England are responsible for letting this very dangerous man harm these young men.

[@melliecrann-gaoth4789]

Thank you for your service to society with such commitment to keeping this investigation going. I hope the staff of channel 4 involved are provided with good quality counselling. You are at high risk of vicarious trauma.

[@Ummo2850]

Charge those who had knowledge and yet failed to act. That’s a criminal offense. They are accomplices

[@Randomequestrian-pm4hl]

I've been shouting about this for months. You're absolutely correct about the criminal liability of those who remained silent. Time for charges against all who covered up the abuse of children.

[@melliecrann-gaoth4789]

@Randomequestrian-pm4hl13 keep shouting. It is vital.

[@melliecrann-gaoth4789]

@Ummo2850 I agree 💯. Keep the pressure on. If it was not for Channel 4, this would have stayed buried. The door is wide open.

[@terinunes604]

He needs to be locked up!!!!!

[@LyndaRaine]

This is what is spoiling Christianity

[@GavinHobbs-gx2no]

Apology, make this church pay the victims...everyone of them...

[@Randomequestrian-pm4hl]

The should be criminal charges against all those in a position of trust (eg church officials & hierarchy) who failed to report these crimes against children AND civil claims for damages against those complicit in the crimes. I'd like to see criminal charges and, if convicted, custodial sentences as appropriate. The hiding behind the Jesus shroud must be stopped.

[@vaughangiose8352]

The Bible says, "...no one is found worthy..." Don't hero worship anyone! Not even your priest!

[@harrietkwindaharriet4076]

His wife is complicit

[@bonitobonita9263]

Apologies are not enough and they didn’t even apologised. I doubt if any adult in the church around him didn’t know what he was doing. They just think they can get away with it because he is dead.

[@smokingdamages7470]

An apology seems paltry. I think the Church of England as an institution, if truly sorry, should pay COMPENSATION. ….maybe they aren’t actually sorry…. and why blame the South African Bishop? Interesting! Scapegoat? Yes, he rushed to judgment before the enquiry had ended, but is he being blamed for Smyth? The institution needs to pay compensation for all individual Victims of Smyth.

[@slieafrica]

And need to forfeit Smyth's wealth lest this turn into another Jeffrey Epstein saga where organized perverts used the deceased's estate to continue this type of abuse.

[@joshsundiwa]

100% correct Church of England must apologise 1st

[@Randomequestrian-pm4hl]

The hierarchy of the Church of England in South Africa allegedly failed to report crimes against children, and facilitated a catalogue of abuse by a known abuser in their midst. This would make them criminally liable. South Africa has legal jurisdiction in this matter.

[@marynavanvuuren7679]

MONSTER!!!

[@lindaphillips545]

Haha… trying to pass the buck to South Africa…yeah… uk style for sure…imo. How many years did the uk church cover this up or remained paralysed to follow up. This man was a British export under the shield of the uk church.

[@dineshanpillay5944]

It's also funny cause most British decent south africans here are protecting him

[@jennychurchill2716]

Abuse happened in SA. SA is as guilty as the UK!!

[@Randomequestrian-pm4hl]

Wake up! South Africa has very strong legislation protecting children, and criminal liability (including prison sentences) extends to persons in a position of trust who fail to report such abuse to the authorities. The Anglican Church here in SA KNEW about it, the Church hierarchy KNEW about it and they covered it up. You do understand that these crimes were committed IN Zimbabwe and IN South Africa? These crimes must be exposed and prosecuted HERE where they allegedly occurred ie in our jurisdiction... the UK has no jurisdiction in respect of crimes committed in South Africa. And no apologies from the Church of England in South Africa suffice in the slightest.

[@Randomequestrian-pm4hl]

@@dineshanpillay5944 Who is protecting these crimes? Except for the local South African Church hierarchy, including the indigenous Archbishop of Cape Town?

[@melliecrann-gaoth4789]

@dineshanpillay5944 Keep the pressure on. Keep this public. A very brave journalist Mary Raftery who say died young is the person who kept working on exposing the truth in Ireland and many devout didn’t want to hear. It is shocking. It is rotten.

[@margarethunt6874]

What a hypocrite --he will face the wrath of a jealous God -jealous love for His children.

[@hairbymichelleandbeautypar7199]

This minister doesn't want to take responsibility . Bad or apologize.

[@Wilsnap]

Well done Channel 4

[@JorethaPhotos]

His answers are reflective of a true South African politician.

[@harrietkwindaharriet4076]

They exported pediophylia to our country how come🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️

[@humanstubeinfo1588]

CT Thabo Makgoba must go. Not taking responsibility. Protecting his lack of action and pedophiles

[@bugsandbeasties]

Why are you smiling, archbishop?! You're responsible.

[@50_Pence]

If you run a business that had this in it. Rife in it. You'd shut it down down -no?

[@deliabotha7187]

You guys in dresses sounds just like politicians. You sicken me. You guys know these things are happening.

[@BeatrixKidd088]

No godly wisdon & no fear of the Lord found in archbishop Magkoba... Oh Lord, have mercy.. smh

[@roshneeshunmagum1945]

SHOCKING 🤦‍♀️

[@bonanimkhize1696]

The South African church knew.

[@ElsjeMassyn]

Religion is deadly especially for those that follow priests, pastors, bishops, cardinals and trusting that their intentions are Biblical and good. Better to exit any organized religion and begin a personal one-on-one relationship directly with God the Father. What is just tragic is that parents trust these scumbags and then when its too far gone they jump in and try and rescue and redeem

[@mtgigi]

🎯

[@Star-hg1kt]

Was that the wife still with him SMH

[@kevinwilliams1768]

so sad this happened . I feel sorry for his victims .

[@mamamarius]

The victims might feel 'sorry' doesnt change anything for the better...

[@dineshanpillay5944]

You must see, most of his followers here called us pedos yet they called this man great

[@amienaabrahams2169]

Evil

[@kaizersuze9000]

Sies 😮

[@SWAZIGOLD]

WHATS AMAZING !!!... HE IS STILL WALKING AROUND WITH UN-BROKEN ARMS AND LEGS !!!...OTHERS ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN !

[@therealmrfishpaste]

...umm he died five or six years ago

[@JesusIsWithYouNowPrayToHim]

The LORD, the God of Israel will continue to expose such evil and disturbing leaders. By their fruits we will know them, Jesus is cleaning His Church. Christ is Coming.

[@soul-zc4ny]

Amen God have mercy on the poor and cast down that fall into the hand of evil as the seek help and God to save them through salvation.

[@mrde0mrsai]

Talking about grooming gangs …

[@annemariegutteridge4696]

Only 2 comments? Nobody concerned about this century-old abuse?

[@fuckbankers]

He's white.

[@strezalenys1526]

It’s curious how the media particularly the broadcast and print media only find these things out post mortem of the abusers.

[@helenduplessis4166]

Gosh, why is this man not in jail?

[@Randomequestrian-pm4hl]

Smyth?Because he's dead. But anyone who enabled him/failed to report abuse should be criminally charged here in SA.

[@amienaabrahams2169]

He must be beought to justice

[@garveycampbell80]

Christianity arrived in South Africa with settlers from Europe, starting with Jan van Riebeeck in 1652, when Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC, Dutch East India Company) authorized him to establish a post to resupply food and fuel to ships traveling between the Netherlands and Southeast and South Asia. This is the result and Legacy of Europe on Indigenous African People......

[@kelrogers8480]

What absdolute ignorant bigoted bullshit! I think you are choosing to forget Christians such as, Tutu, Huddleston, Mandela, and Frank Chikabe, Trevor Heyns, Michael Cassidy and others who gave their lives to serve God and this country. . All child abusers, eh? Christianity, which educated the great leaders of our country in non racial schools during apartheid peak, defying authority? They were all just diddling kids? Did Van Riebeeck rape children? Come on, Brightspark? Where's your evidence? Let me remind you that YOU and your aetheist friends have slaughtered over 200 million people in the last century alone! More than all the combined religious wars in history! And I'm sure you did a bit of raping on the side while you were at it. So you have no room for arrogance, you nasty, bigoted, hypocrite! You are just vile!

[@Zappaiti]

The criticism of the church - my church - and religious institutions is justified. There is sadly a pot, this is kettle dimension here though. The corridors of power at the BBC were hardly glowing with virtue when it came to the Jimmy Savilles and Rolf Harrises in their orbit of influence. While Channel Four is an entirely separate institution, and has done the right thing in this investigation, all corporate bodies must work together recognizing and eradicating evil in the midst of society. In other words ... while religious structures have much sorry-saying to do, society must continue to investigate and speak out in protection of the vulnerable. As an aside, election to the most powerful desk in the world of a serial abuser of women (not children, but the power imbalance remains the critical issue) suggests that we still don't understand how deeply entrenched this evil is in all how society.

[@t_dubois]

trump is right; terrible things are happening in South Africa

[@christineoosthuizen4388]

Terrible things are also happening in America...

[@sammym9259]

Even worse ​@@christineoosthuizen4388

[@maranathatothekingofkings2836]

he was British and it all started in England. Thus happens everywhere

[@kes136]

Americans are systematic Supramists and open Genociders.

[@khanyi8512]

Like?

[@WildeOlyf-jg8up]

Church leaders, fearing that they might be guilty of the sin of slander, commit an even greater sin by protecting and failing to expose or confront elders and leaders who are neither above reproach nor qualified to preach God's Word from the pulpit. I pray for strong elders, filled with God's Holy Spirit, to be poured out on our churches and for God's Word to be obeyed

[@leanagoosen363]

Look at his involvement with Ottery schools of industry. JASA matter

[@diannestrachan2402]

The priest gives the impression that what he had done wasn’t wrong. He is another well spoken arrogant. And believes them selves to be more intelligent than those around me. The fierce beatings rained down upon them at the priests will or whim. The Church enabled this abuser and they did it under the name of Jesus Christ. The Narcissus priest knew he wasn’t going to be stopped. The church knew and did little. God forgive these fools one and all.

[@daveprinsloo8488]

Religion.. pfft

[@lindevannoppen807]

What????? Let the kids do the talking

[@Jesusistheway-l3i]

Then his son was a pastor here. He was trying to make alot of money. One of the gold dust in the aircon churches. Beer afterwards it was called god first. It was held in a casino

[@azarulahmed789]

Matthew 26:39 "And he [Jesus] went a little further, fell on his face and prayed". If Jesus is God, was he praying to himself? That would be absurd. John 17:3 [Jesus said] and this is the eternal life, that they know you (God), and Jesus whom you have sent". Clearly, from these two evidences, Jesus not only had a God whom he prayed to, but he was also sent by God making him a prophet. The Quran states, "Verily, Jesus the son of Mary, is no more than a messenger". Jesus when he returns will identify with Islam and Muslims. The word 'Islam' itself means 'submission to the one true God'. Jesus submitted to the one true God, making him a Muslim. Thank God for Islam and for making me a Muslim and for saving me from Christianity, a religion based on Greek mythology.

[@marcianair8738]

😢

[@dianeallen28]

🤮that this exists anywhere in the world ... The movie "Sleepers" based on true life ,,, which stil continues in this day and age devastates us ...PLEASE LORD COME!!!

[@dreamcat4]

6m00s > "many factors within the community and culture conducive to abuse that were reg flags > 'very rigid hierachy' > 'deification of leaders' > 'brazen and determined to continue abuse of boys and young men' > 'missed by a litany of institutions' i was between 22-26 years old when these abuses started they continued to this very day (feb-2025) and coded into the organizational goals and values of the uk sis to enable those abuses - onto a single specific individual

[@Zappaiti]

Has this thread becoming an advertising platform by a book, not peer reviewed, with a dubious title and some flag-waving themes ("wealth, health, and love")?

[@LFK1951]

Channel 4 news should be ashamed of how the reporter handled this interview. Trying to pass the blame instead of listening and play ‘gotcha ya’. Disappointing!

[@marietjiehildebrandt1324]

Bully

[@AllfretÉNewmun]

Your title header refers to SA and by implication reflects on the whole church / all churches inthis country. That is typical British journalism mention all and not the particular perbutrator or institution. Why not change the header to "Angelican Church in SA - what did go wrong" or "Cnurch of England in SA - involvement in raccist pedophilea"....something along those lines.... . By "you" I mean the British press.

[@solankivijay4079]

i always thought manifestation was just about writing things down and hoping for the best. but after seeing real changes happen for a friend, i had to ask what they were doing differently. they sent me Vibrations of Manifestation by Alex Lane, and it explained everything i was missing. it’s not about wishing, it’s about understanding energy on a deeper level. ever since applying what’s in the ebook, things have started moving in my favor.

[@soul-zc4ny]

God sees all and knows that people do...... Romans 1v20 read to the end. And stop dping the devil's bidding

[@francina8343]

The illuminati church it is Roman Catholic church practice

[@benwilson6145]

This the Church of England, what are you on?

[@francina8343]

​@benwilson6145 their are all in big club. Pope and Queen are friends of the same

[@benwilson6145]

@@francina8343 What Queen? You off your Meds!

[@anatoliypankevych4853]

He showered with them? Maybe he wanted to check that they were clean?

[@bugsandbeasties]

@@anatoliypankevych4853 ridiculous comment

[@Karin321cloete]

False Christianity is a false Religious when will people wake up Yahusha Mashiak is the True Mashiak! If You dont Acknowledge Yahusha Mashiak you dont have the Ruach Ha'Qodesh and you dont belong to Thr Father of Yahusha! Jer 10 Christianity is Gentile Religious falsehood

[@Salman_Saho]

Look at these righteous men of God 😊

[@madelizebuttner1047]

They are all of the cabal and not from our creator. Our creator has no religion. Religion is man made and they have lied to humanity for 1000's of years. All the pastors and church men does it and had for years...

[@francina8343]

Roman Empire serve a god called Lucifer/ Satan

[@sameaulahad2824]

Why aren’t I seeing riots?

[@SiphosihleSithole]

It’s white people no body does in South Africa they not engage in our well being but only protest when wanna take off a black leader. They can’t hold their own accountable

[@dinesh_rajput_890]

one night i was scrolling, feeling stuck. life felt like it was passing me by, while others seemed to effortlessly attract success. then i kept seeing people mention this ebook, Vibrations of Manifestation by Alex Lane. i didn’t expect much, but after reading it, something shifted. it wasn’t about wishful thinking-it showed me how to align my energy with what i actually wanted. two weeks in, things started falling into place in ways i never imagined.

[@TRUTHALWAYSHURTS.7867]

TELL US ,,,,DID JESUS REALLY DIE FOR ALL HUMANITIES FILTHY, DISGUSTING SINS ? 😅😅😅

[@Shanwaz-ys3ky]

i kept wondering why some people could just think about what they wanted and somehow get it. i tried affirmations, vision boards, all of it-but nothing seemed to stick. then i found Vibrations of Manifestation by Alex Lane. this ebook explained why i was blocking my own results without even realizing it. the way it breaks down energy alignment makes so much sense. since reading it, my whole approach has changed.

[@all420arman9]

i was skeptical about all this manifestation stuff until i started seeing people in my life actually making it work. when i asked how, they all mentioned this ebook, Vibrations of Manifestation by Alex Lane. after reading it, i get why so many people swear by it. it’s not about “thinking positive” or luck, it’s about tuning into the right energy. i wish i had found this sooner.

[@hairbymichelleandbeautypar7199]

This minister doesn't want to take responsibility . Bad or apologize.

[@AvinashHekde]

i always thought manifestation was just about writing things down and hoping for the best. but after seeing real changes happen for a friend, i had to ask what they were doing differently. they sent me Vibrations of Manifestation by Alex Lane, and it explained everything i was missing. it’s not about wishing, it’s about understanding energy on a deeper level. ever since applying what’s in the ebook, things have started moving in my favor.