Mfundekelwa Mkhulisi

Mfundekelwa Mkhulisi

The Anglican Church has started a storm in Fleurhof, west of Johannesburg, over the sale of a school for R6 million.

Grace College, which was built in the 1980s by the Anglo-American Chairman's Fund, started to experience financial difficulties in the 1990s and was closed by the provincial Department of Education earlier this year.

The school used to have more than 200 pupils from grades eight to 12.

The news of its sale has led to a tug-of-war between the community and the Johannesburg diocese of the church.

"The shool was built for the Fleurhof community and the church has no right to sell it," said Aubrey Adams, the community leader.

"They want to make profit out of the school's property."

But the Anglican church said the school belonged to them.

"We purchased the school years ago and we have the title deed to prove it," said Rodney Taylor, church secretary.

Taylor said the school was costing the church a lot of money to keep it.