Peer review for pastors sought

THE commission responsible for religious and cultural groups wants a peer review mechanism to clamp down on attentionseeking prophets.

It feels this will be a more permanent solution to the long trail of unusual acts by pastors – making worshippers eat snakes‚ braids‚ paper‚ rocks and dirt‚ spraying insect killer over them, making them drink lubricant or strip naked – all in the name of healing.

Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural‚ Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL) chairwoman Thoko Mkhwanazi- Xaluva said: “We believe these pastors are competing among themselves.

“They want media attention and to promote their churches at the expense of other people.”

Last year, the CRL investigated the commercialisation of religion and violations of people’s rights in churches in the country.

Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said only a court interdict could stop the pastors from their extreme acts. But this would be temporary. “We need a permanent solution to the problem. Our proposals are clear. We are asking for a peer review mechanism.” If the peer review rejected the behaviour‚ the pastor would be released to find another profession.

The commission’s report will be taken to parliament to recommend the amendment of the CRL Act‚ allowing for new proposals to regulate the religious community.

Apart from a peer review mechanism to be established for pastors, where their conduct would be scrutinised against agreed norms and standards, it also proposes that pastors be licensed for them to do ministry.

Churches must submit their inputs by the end of next month.