GOVERNMENT TO REGULATE CHURCHES?

The South African Union Council of Independent Churches (SAUCIC) has pledged to challenge what it deems unilateral actions by the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission).

The creation of a new consultative body to oversee churches and religious institutions in South Africa has sparked a national conversation regarding the State’s involvement in religion, with critics warning that this initiative could lead to government control over religious affairs.

Recently, the CRL Rights Commission launched a Section 22 Committee, touted as a peer-review mechanism intended to promote accountability and mitigate abuse within religious organizations.

The commission stated that the committee would engage in widespread consultation, operate autonomously, and assist in “restoring order in the sector.”

In response to this development, SAUCIC president Cardinal Archbishop Modiri Patrick Shole emphasized that the church will not permit the CRL Commission to compromise the freedom of worship and association guaranteed by the Constitution.

Shole contended: “The assault on the Christian faith under the pretext of protecting vulnerable individuals within faith communities is merely a well-coordinated and misguided effort to undermine the foundational values outlined in the Constitution and ultimately criminalize Christianity, which is supported by over 85 percent of our population.”

His organization includes affiliated federations of charismatic and evangelical outreach mission ministries, as well as Pentecostal churches.

Shole further stated that the collaboration between the government and the church—essential for addressing social issues, fostering unity, and promoting social cohesion—is jeopardized by the overly zealous chairperson of the CRL Rights Commission, Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, who, he argues, is acting contrary to the mandate of the Chapter 9 institution.

He remarked: “Her claim that Christian leaders who assert they communicate with God through prayer should be placed in mental institutions clearly indicates her lack of understanding regarding how faith is practiced by believers of all faiths.

“This raises serious questions about her suitability to hold office, as it fosters the mistrust and confrontational approach that existed prior to her reappointment for another term.

“Currently, the CRL Rights Commission seems more focused on controlling the church than on addressing the fatalities of initiates at initiation schools or protecting cultures and languages.”

Shole announced that his organization will participate in the march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, demanding the immediate removal of Mkhwanazi-Xaluva.