11 March 2021
Dear President Ramaphosa and Minister Dlamini-Zuma,
RE: REQUEST FOR CONSULTATION WITH RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN VIEW OF HOLY DAY CELEBRATIONS in APRIL / MAY 2021
- We address this letter to you on behalf of the undersigned senior religious leaders who have mandated Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA) to write to you on their behalf. The confirmed signatories from senior leaders of denominations, churches and organisations, represent in excess of 14 million people of faith.
- The vast majority of these leaders and the organisations they represent – although (in the case of many of them) significant in terms of numbers and influence in the religious community of South Africa – do not form part of and/or their views are not necessarily represented by the structures consulted by Government (including your own Offices) on religious matters, including regarding the COVID-19 Lockdown Regulations.
- As a result, and despite repeated requests for inclusion in consultation, they have been left completely out of the conversation regarding the impact of the Regulations on their congregants and organisations, and left in the dark regarding Government’s intended course of action and reasons for decisions made.
THE COUNTRY’S MOVE TO ALERT LEVEL 1
- As you are aware, the entire country has on Monday 1st March 2021 moved from (Adjusted) Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 1.
- In terms of the amended Regulations, faith-based and religious gatherings are permitted up to 100 people (indoors) and 250 people (outdoors), and for smaller venues who cannot accommodate those numbers with appropriate social distancing, up to 50% of the capacity of their venue (Regulation 72(3)).
- While this relaxation of the restrictions on religious gatherings will certainly assist many of the (particularly smaller) churches and religious organisations, it unfortunately does not assist many of the larger churches and religious organisations who can comfortably and responsibly accommodate many more people in their venues at one time.
- It also strikes us that, under the previous Level 1, religious gatherings were permitted up to 50% of the capacity of the venue with people keeping a distance of 1.5 meters between each other, but with no more than 250 people (indoors) and 500 (outdoors). (Regulation 69 of the Level 1 Regulations of 17 September 2021).
- As a result, and given particularly that the number of COVID-19 active cases are as low as when the country went into Level 1 last year, many religious organisations feel that, at the every least, they should have been allowed to open up to the same levels as at Level 1 last year. Other organisations feel strongly, again in light of the significant drop in active cases country-wide, that religious organisations should be allowed to meet up to 50% of the capacity of their venues, subject of course to all health, sanitisation and social distancing protocols.
- We note however Government’s concern (as also stated during the President’s address to the nation on Sunday 28th February 2021) regarding a potential third wave, which (some predict) may hit after Easter.
OUR REQUEST
- As you are aware, the months of April / May are traditionally an important time on the religious calendar of both Christians (who celebrate Easter) and Muslims (who observe Ramadan), who typically on these holy days come together with other adherents of their respective faiths and often in large groups, to collectively exercise their faith.
- In light of this, the undersigned religious leaders and organisations appeal to you – once again – for an opportunity to (whether themselves, or through FOR SA as their appointed representatives for this purpose) consult with Government with a view to working with Government to prevent any unnecessary further spread of the virus.
- We emphasise that the religious leaders and their organisations want to be part of the solution, not the problem – and believe that such a consultation will go a long way in Government taking hands with the religious community and finding solutions that will meet Government’s (legitimate) public health objectives, while at the same time respect, protect and fulfil the religious community’s constitutional right to meet together and collectively exercise their faith (sections 15, 16 and 31 of the Constitution).
Yours faithfully,
Adv Nadene L. Badenhorst
Legal Counsel, FOR SA
SIGNATORIES:
|
Organisation |
Title/Name/Surname |
Position in Organisation |
Churches represented |
Number of congregants |
|
All Africa Bishops Council |
Archbishop Owen McGregor & Bishop Lazarus Selahle |
Presiding Archbishop |
100+ |
+/- 50,000 |
|
Alliance of Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches |
Bishop Samuel Ndlovu |
Bishop |
692 churches |
|
|
Anti-Regulation Forum |
Dr Shimmy Chi Aobakwe Kotu |
President |
|
+/- 1 million |
|
Afrikaans Protestant Church |
Ds HSW Strauss |
Voorsitter: Sentrale Kerkekommissie |
203 churches |
+/- 30,000 |
|
Apostolic Network of Ministers |
Archbishop Owen McGregor |
Presiding Archbishop |
25 churches |
+/- 6,000 |
|
Christian Judicial Council |
Bishop Masilo Monyai |
International President |
42 fraternal and 80 independent ministries |
|
|
Council of Charismatic Churches |
Pastor Lucas Nkosi |
Pastor |
420 churches |
|
|
Ecumenical Leadership Council |
Pastor Sipho Mahlangu |
Pastor |
200 churches |
|
|
Episcopal College Of Pentecostal Bishops and Apostles in Africa |
Bishop Mazwi Luthuli |
Bishop |
1,000 churches |
|
|
Every Nation Churches Southern Africa |
Pastor Gareth Stead |
Pastor (Nation Builder) |
80 churches |
|
|
Faith Fellowship |
Pastor Richard Crompton |
Pastor |
70 churches |
+/- 15,000 |
|
Fellowship of Community Churches |
Pastor Morgan Pillay |
Pastor |
13 churches |
+/- 3,000 |
|
Great Commission Ministries |
Bishop Aaron Makili |
Bishop |
150 churches |
+/- 22,000 |
|
Harvest Christian Church |
Pastor Daan Botha |
Senior Pastor |
|
+/- 3,000 |
|
Hatfield Christian Church |
Senior Pastor Louis Kotze |
Senior Pastor |
2 churches |
+/- 4,500 |
|
Inkululeko Yeziswe Association (IYA) |
Thembi Tulwana obo Dr Prophet Radebe |
Executive Spokesperson of IYA |
65 African Indigenous & Spirituality Churches |
+/- 10 million |
|
Joshua Generation Church |
Pastor Andrew Selley |
Pastor, and apostolic leader of Four12 global partnership of churches |
34 churches
|
+/- 5,000 |
|
Maranatha Community Church |
Pastor Jonathan Mare obo Senior Pastor Leonard Stone |
Pastor and Senior Pastor |
1 church |
+/- 6,000 |
|
Moreleta Park Congregation |
Peter Badenhorst and Rev Pieter Badenhorst |
COO and Rev. |
1 (Afrikaans, English, African Language and Youth) |
+/- 26,000 |
|
Mount Calvary Pentecostal Church |
Archbishop Owen McGregor |
Presiding Archbishop and Moderator |
16 churches |
+/- 15,000 |
|
Nigerian Pastors Association of South Africa |
Bishop Ranti Famodun. |
Bishop |
200 churches |
|
|
Old Apostolic Church SA |
Apostle Willie Scholtz |
|
2,000 churches |
1,16 mil |
|
Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church |
Bishop Glenn Lyons |
Bishop |
150 churches |
+/- 50,000 |
|
The Christian Network |
Pastor Jonathan Mare obo Senior Pastor Leonard Stone |
Pastor and Senior Pastor |
200 churches |
+/- 35,000 |
|
Unity Fellowship Church |
Pastor Mukhuba |
Pastor |
5 churches |
+/- 15,000 |
|
Vineyard SA |
Dr Dave Pedersen |
National Director |
|
+/- 25,000 |
|
Visionary of Hope Restoration Ministries |
Reverend Siphiwe Christopher Mathebula |
Founder |
5 Campuses |
+/- 16,000 |
|
Willow Hill Vineyard Churches |
Pastor Dave Pedersen |
Pastor |
|
+/- 25,000 |
|
Word of Faith Christian Centre, Port Elizabeth |
Pastor Richard Crompton |
Pastor |
20 branch churches |
+/- 3,000 members in each branch |
