FOR SA letter to President re consultations with Religious Sector on proposed Mandatory Vaccinations

6 December 2021

Dear President Ramaphosa,RE:CONSULTATIONS WITH THE RELIGIOUS SECTOR ON PROPOSED MANDATORY VACCINATIONS We refer to your address to the nation on Sunday evening, 28 November 2021, including your statement that Government has been “undertaking engagements with social partners and other stakeholders on introducing measures that make vaccination a condition for access to workplaces, public events, public transport and public establishments”, and that Government would be consulting on making vaccination mandatory for “specific activities and locations”.While religious gatherings were not specifically mentioned in your address, we note that groups like Business for South Africa (B4SA) have subsequently proposed mandatory vaccination for “places of worship”.The imposition of mandatory vaccination on religious gatherings will clearly have implications for the constitutional right to religious freedom, and the legal autonomy of religious institutions to determine their internal affairs (including the grounds on which they will allow / refuse persons access to their meetings) free from interference by the State.As such, Government is legally obliged to specifically consult with the religious sector before any mandatory vaccination policy or regulations are imposed on them.In particular, Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA) requests that, given the large constituency that we have represented before Government in the matter of COVID-19 and the implications thereof on the religious sector (namely religious leaders and organisations representing at least 15.5 million people from a cross-spectrum of denominations, churches and faith groups) to date, we be included in Government’s consultation with the religious sector on the issue of mandatory vaccination.We look forward to hearing from you in this regard.Regards,Adv Nadene L. BadenhorstLegal Counsel, FOR SA