MBABANE – A dispute within the Cathedral Church of All Saints has intensified after the Diocese of Eswatini rejected objections to the appointment of the Cathedral’s new rector, accusing church leaders of abandoning reconciliation efforts and making inaccurate claims.
The latest development follows an exchange of correspondence between the Diocese and members of the Cathedral leadership over the appointment of the rector and the status of ongoing court proceedings involving the parties.
In a letter dated July 25, 2026, Bishop of Eswatini Rt Rev Dr Dalcy Dlamini responded to correspondence from Lolo Mkhabela and Zodwa Shabalala concerning the appointment of the rector. The Diocese rejected the contents of their letter, saying it contained inaccuracies and did not provide reasons why the bishop could not appoint a rector, a responsibility it said rested solely with the bishop.
According to the Diocese, the previous rector resigned during a Safe and Inclusive Church inquiry held at Thokoza Conference Centre and was subsequently paid his terminal benefits, bringing his pastoral relationship with the Diocese to an end.
The Diocese said this created a vacancy at the Cathedral, necessitating the appointment of a new rector.
It further alleged that attempts to assist the former rector to secure placement outside Eswatini were frustrated after members of the Cathedral leadership withdrew from a task team established for that purpose.
The Diocese also alleged that efforts by the archbishop to secure the former rector a placement in the United States were unsuccessful because the Cathedral leadership appointed him as administrator, a position it claims was not sanctioned by the Cathedral dean or synod. The Diocese further disputed the authority of those who signed the July 24 letter.
It argued that Lolo Mkhabela had previously stated in court papers that the Parish Church Council’s term of office ended in June 2023 and that she, together with Derris Hlophe, had acknowledged in affidavits that the Cathedral was being managed by parishioners following the former rector’s resignation. The Diocese said it was therefore incorrect for them to continue presenting themselves as wardens.
The Diocese also accused the Cathedral leadership of withdrawing from a reconciliation process chaired by Reverend Gcebile Gina.
According to the Diocese, members of the Cathedral leadership wrote to Reverend Gina on March 9, 2026, informing her they were no longer interested in continuing with the reconciliation process despite requests that they remain engaged.
It said Reverend Gina subsequently submitted her report after the reconciliation initiative came to an end.
The March 9 correspondence referred to by the Diocese was written by the Parish Church Council of the Cathedral Church of All Saints.
In that letter, addressed to Reverend Gina, the council advised that it had resolved to suspend the reconciliation process until the conclusion of court proceedings. The PCC stated that although it agreed to participate in reconciliation because it wished to restore relations with the Diocese, several undertakings discussed during the negotiations had not been honoured. Among these, the council said there had been an undertaking that Reverend Sigudla would be redeployed outside the Cathedral parish, but alleged this had not happened.
The PCC also said it had expected Bishop Tsietsi Seloane to undertake a healing role rather than serve as acting rector, adding that it believed the appointment of an acting rector should have formed part of negotiations between the parties.
The council further stated that there had been an undertaking to withdraw court proceedings. However, it said the Diocese, as the party that instituted the Supreme Court matter, had not shown any willingness to discontinue the litigation.
The PCC also alleged that Reverend Canon Advent Dlamini had not yet been reassigned as had been agreed during the reconciliation discussions.
According to the PCC, these outstanding issues led it to conclude that it could not continue participating in reconciliation while court proceedings involving the same matters remained before the courts. However, the Diocese rejected that position. It stated that the appointment of the rector was not the subject of any pending court application.
Instead, it said the active Supreme Court matters relate to challenges brought by members of the Cathedral leadership concerning the holding of a vestry meeting and the applicability of the Anglican Church’s Constitution and Canons in Eswatini, as well as an application challenging the participation of a Supreme Court judge in one of the appeals.
The Diocese also alleged that there was no court order preventing the appointment of a rector.
It further claimed that Cathedral members had previously insisted that a rector be appointed and had now changed their position following the appointment. The Diocese additionally alleged that confirmations of Cathedral parishioners had been delayed since 2023 because some members wanted the Cathedral to become part of the Diocese of Mpumalanga.
It also accused the Cathedral leadership of failing to submit audited financial statements as required by church regulations and rejecting various mediation initiatives proposed to resolve the dispute.
The Diocese concluded by directing Mkhabela and Shabalala to stop using the Cathedral’s official letterhead, maintaining that they no longer held office within the Parish Church Council.
The exchange of correspondence marks the latest chapter in a dispute that continues alongside court proceedings involving the Cathedral and the Diocese. The matters referred to by both parties remain the subject of ongoing legal processes.
PCC suspends reconciliation process
MBABANE – The Parish Church Council (PCC) of the Cathedral Church of All Saints has suspended the reconciliation process between the parish and the Anglican Diocese pending the finalisation of court proceedings involving the two parties.
The decision is contained in a letter dated March 9, 2026, addressed to Reverend Gcebile Gina of Grahamstown, South Africa, who the PCC says was assigned to facilitate peace and reconciliation between the Cathedral parish and the Diocese.
According to the correspondence, the PCC said it had resolved to pause the reconciliation process because a number of undertakings discussed during the negotiations had not been fulfilled.
The council said although Reverend Gina arrived in Eswatini around the end of November 2025 to undertake the reconciliation assignment, his arrival was not accompanied by formal correspondence from either Archbishop Thabo Makgoba or the diocesan bishop confirming his appointment or outlining his terms of reference.
The PCC stated that despite the absence of formal documentation, it agreed to participate in the reconciliation process because it wished to restore relations with the Diocese. However, the council said several resolutions reached during meetings with the diocesan leadership had not been implemented.
Among the issues raised was what the PCC described as an undertaking that Reverend Sigudla would be redeployed outside the Cathedral parish. The council said this had not happened and that it had instead been informed Reverend Sigudla would become an assistant to Bishop Tsietsi, who had since arrived as Acting Rector. The PCC further stated that Bishop Tsietsi had not been formally introduced to the congregation. It said its understanding had been that Bishop Tsietsi’s role was to facilitate healing within the parish rather than assume the position of acting rector.
According to the letter, the PCC believes that the appointment of an acting rector should form part of negotiations between the relevant parties. The council also referred to an undertaking regarding the withdrawal of pending court proceedings. It stated that the Supreme Court matter currently before the courts had been instituted by the Diocese and that the parish was responding as the respondent and appellant in the matter.
The PCC said despite the Diocese being the party that instituted the proceedings, it had not observed any willingness to withdraw the case. The letter also referred to Reverend Canon Advent Dlamini.
The PCC said there had been an undertaking that he would be reassigned in line with the conclusion of his contract, but said this had not yet taken place.
The council said because the issues before the courts were the same matters that formed part of the reconciliation discussions, it believed it could not participate in both processes simultaneously.
It said continuing with both the court proceedings and reconciliation efforts at the same time would amount to pursuing two parallel processes while undertakings reached during negotiations remained outstanding.
The PCC also raised concerns regarding the continued mission of Bishop Tsietsi. According to the letter, the council understands that the acting rector’s deployment formed part of Reverend Gina’s reconciliation efforts. It therefore requested that his continued mission be re-evaluated following the suspension of the reconciliation assignment.
The correspondence further states that before writing the advisory letter, representatives of the PCC met Bishop Tsietsi to discuss several administrative matters relating to his assignment. The council said the discussions highlighted several outstanding issues, including the absence of a pastoral letter introducing the bishop, questions regarding a working permit and a living allowance.
The PCC further stated that it had arranged accommodation for Bishop Tsietsi at a bed-and-breakfast establishment in Mbabane, but that the bishop informed them he was staying with family friends instead.
It added that the offer of accommodation remained available, should the reconciliation process resume in future. The council concluded the letter by requesting an urgent response from Reverend Gina while stating that it reserved its rights.
Copies of the correspondence were also addressed to Bishop Tsietsi in Mbabane and the Office of the Archbishop in Cape Town.
