Christians stand together for faith and freedom
It was greatly encouraging to witness the remarkable unity of Christians who gathered to stand for religious freedom in South Africa. On 12 March, believers from various churches and denominations marched from King Dinizulu Park to the Durban City Hall, publicly affirming their commitment to defend the Christian faith.
The march was organised by the South African Church Defenders (SACD), a non-partisan Christian advocacy movement. Their action comes in response to recent initiatives by the CRL Commission, particularly under the leadership of Ms Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, its newly appointed chairperson. Ms Xaluva has advanced proposals to regulate religious institutions, including the vetting and registration of religious leaders through a peer-review system. She has also been outspoken in the media about her views on Christianity, sparking widespread concern among faith communities.
Against this backdrop, the overwhelming presence of Christians at the Durban march testify to a powerful truth: when the faith is challenged, believers are willing to stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of their convictions.
What is the Problem?
The SACD argue that the CRL Rights Commission, under Chairperson Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva has moved beyond legitimate concerns about accountability and regulation.
Ms Xaluva's repeated public remarks are seen as ridiculing and mocking Chr i s t iani ty, not just addressing misconduct. SACD highlights ten specific statements made by Ms Xaluva. Some of which are dismissing claims of hearing from God as mental instability, calling churches ‘a circus’, portraying believers as irrational or exploitable. This rhetoric, combined with proposals for compulsory licensing of preachers, criminal penalties and state oversight of religious spaces, has left many congregations feeling targeted, demeaned and distrustful of the Commission.
The SACD insists that existing laws already address fraud and abuse and that broad condemnation of faith communities undermines constitutional protections for freedom of religion. The SACD calls churches to take a stand for the constitutional rights of churches and Christian communities.
For further information on SACD visit www.sachurchdefenders.org
