Christians Stand Strong
HUNDREDS of Christians from various churches came together for a march to the Union Buildings on Wednesday, expressing their dissent against the Council for Religious and Faith-Based Organisations’ (CRL) creation of the Section 22 Committee.
The demonstrators asserted that the committee violates their religious liberties and demanded the immediate resignation of CRL chairperson Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva.
They charged Mkhwanazi-Xaluva with facilitating government interference in church matters and failing to uphold the independence of the churches.
Pastor Mpfariseni Mukhuba from Unity Fellowship Church, one of the organizers, spoke to the crowd, stating: “We are the guardians of the church, and we will not allow Christianity to fade in South Africa. We are committed to preserving our legacy for future generations.”
She stressed that the church is under threat and that they will take action to defend it.
She noted that the time for silence has ended, asserting, “If we remain quiet today, we will face extinction, and that is the reason we are marching.”
Mukhuba accused Mkhwanazi-Xaluva of trying to undermine the church through the Section 22 Committee, a peer-review process that she believes compromises church independence.
CRL deputy chairperson Prince George Mahlangu refuted claims that the committee aims to violate the rights and freedoms of Christians.
He clarified that the committee is made up of religious leaders representing nearly 45 million Christians in the nation and that the commission only plays a secretariat role.
“Section 22 will extend to all provinces and engage with religious leaders. It serves as a peer review mechanism on our part,” he stated.
He further explained that the committee was formed to address concerns about abuse complaints from congregants, referencing the case of Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso, who faced multiple rape charges but was later acquitted.
Mahlangu mentioned that the CRL is acting on parliament’s recommendation for the self-regulation of churches, emphasizing that the Section 22 committee specifically applies to the Christian community.
In a media statement, the CRL remarked: “In response to the recommendations from the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs’ Portfolio Committee regarding self-regulation within the Christian sector, the Commission invoked Section 22 of the CRL Rights Commission Act to create a Section 22 Committee, which has been formed and includes Christian leaders from various umbrella organizations, covering mainline, independent, charismatic, and Pentecostal churches, among others.”