Diocese of Lebombo

The first bishop nominated of the Anglican Diocese of Lebombo was William Edmund Smyth, in 1893, who would be in functions until 1912.Only after the beginning of the war of independence between Portugal and the FRELIMO, the diocese would have his first Portuguese language bishop, Daniel Pina Cabral, a white European born prelate.Pina Cabral developed friendly relationships with the Roman Catholic bishops of Mozambique and established contact with members of the FRELIMO.[2] At the 2012 Provincial Synod of the Church of Southern Africa these plans were first discussed in detail,[3] and as an interim measure two new episcopal areas were to be created in Lebombo Diocese, with two Area Bishops appointed to work with the Diocesan Bishop.[4] The 21st session of the diocesan synod, meeting in October 2015, confirmed these plans, and also stated that the new dioceses would be named Inhambane and Pungue.