‘CRL commission can help break church abuse’
Mkhwanazi-Xaluva tells church leaders Omotoso case highlights recommendations
THE Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic (CRL) communities, believes if it was left to implement its proposals, the abuse of church members would be limited.
“We proposed these regulations in 2016, they were opposed.
“If we were allowed to continue with what we were proposing, children would have been helped,” said CRL Commission chairperson, Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva.
She spoke to the media after a meeting she had with church leaders belonging to the Great Commission, an umbrella body for pastors, yesterday.
She said had some religious organisations stopped engaging in debates with the CRL, incidents such as the pastor Timothy Omotoso rape allegations, would have been far less.
She said Omotoso, who is on trial in Port Elizabeth for allegedly raping young women of his church, would not have spread to so many children.
“For about three years Freedom of Religion SA has been going on about the separation of churches from the state.
“But how, when the people are a part of the state.
“We are about the protection of our people,” she said.
Earlier, Mkhwanazi-Xaluva told church leaders that the CRL was “divorcing” from churches and they would have to sort out their own problems.
She was referring to the reports of pastors who feed congregants dogs, jik, snakes and spray people with doom.
This included reports of pastors who rape young women and children.
“You can’t say God is speaking to you when you feed people dogs … God won’t tell you to sleep with children or talk to you over the phone.
“We need to vet pastors. An umbrella body needs to be formed to which the pastor will belong.
“This body will certify, vet the pastors and then issue them with licences,” she said.
Mkhwanazi-Xaluva’s views were not welcomed.
Bishop Samuel Ndlovu challenged the intentions of the CRL.