Senior leaders of the Central Methodist Church in the Joburg CBD have accused the church’s superintendent Reverend Ndumiso Ncombo of misusing the church’s funds and its facilities in money laundering activities.
Several high-ranking church leaders, understood to total 41 of the church’s membership of 2 000, have written to the Methodist Church of Southern Africa’s Presiding Bishop Purity
Malinga and the church’s secretary Michel Hansrod about the alleged corruption.
The district cleric Bishop Faith Whitby and the Pastoral Commission chairperson Carol Walsh have also been informed about the alleged shenanigans.
According to the church leaders, Ncombo’s alleged involvement in crime also has the potential to negate the good work of anti-apartheid activist Bishop Paul Verryn.
The church leaders said Verryn left the church in a good financial state with reserves of R4-million in its coffers. Sadly, complained the leaders, the investment has been depleted.
They are demanding a forensic audit to get to the bottom of how Ncombo allegedly expropriated church’s funds and used them to fund his lifestyle and business interests.
In a letter dated April 3, which Sunday World has seen, the church elders allege that Ncombo is involved in money-laundering, including fraud and other criminal acts.
They accuse Ncombo of using the church’s money to set up two companies in which he is the sole director using the address of the church.
They also alleged that some of the members who raised the alarm on the alleged corruption have received threats.
“On 1 April 2023, we woke up to the unfortunate news that a vehicle belonging to one of the concerned members had been stolen from her residence and was found stripped somewhere.
“It is safe to confirm that between 29 March 2023 to date, at least about four of the concerned members received phone calls from unknown numbers, advising them to watch their backs” reads a letter.
“The affected members have been identified by the minister as critical to this Pastoral Commission because they are known to have be having prima facie evidence against the minister on money laundering,” reads the letter to the church leadership.
Ncombo has rubbished the allegations, saying they were made by those behind the campaign to have him removed from the church. “Those two companies are church businesses and both businesses were approved by the leadership of the church.
“I have never been involved in those businesses, but the money made through these companies goes to the church.”
The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission records show that Ncombo is the director of City Flame and Central Methodist Bookshop, while his alleged cronies also registered three companies using the church’s address.
Ncombo also owns three other companies, which whistleblowers claim benefit from the church’s funds through alleged transactions conducted by him.
“City Flame conducts its business at the church’s premises, and it has been found milking money from the main church account Profits made in this business are therefore not deposited in the main church account, rather, they are personal profit to the minister,” senior church members allege.
Sunday World has seen the church’s bank statements in which members and corporates deposit thousands of rands into the church’s main account with reference “bookshop” earmarked for Central Methodist Bookshop. Ncombo is the sole director of the bookshop.
More than R86 000 paid in various tranches appear to have been paid out of the church’s account to City Flames.
The bank statement of the church also shows that Ncombo was paid a R72 000 bonus.
“That R72 000 I received was my bonus and [I] deserved it based on the agreement made by the church as a 13th cheque.”
It is understood that Hansrod has written to Ncombo stating that Malinga has directed that Ncombo be relieved.
The church has appointed the controversial former ANC chaplain-general and retired Reverend Vukile Mehana as its new superintendent minister.
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