THE days of sex, drugs and Dettol are over.
This was the call from religious leaders, professors and CRL commission representatives when they gathered at the Rhema Bible Church in Randburg yesterday.
They were meeting to give an update on the commercialisation of religion and abuse of people’s beliefs.
For years, the commission has been preaching that there should be a body that governs all churches in the country.
It seems there is light at the end of the tunnel and tsotsi pastors will be dealt with, after all.
It was agreed that a body to govern all churches should be formed so that those who continue to operate illegally could be dealt with.
Commission chair Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said all professional sectors had structures they reported to.
“In our particular sector, people don’t account anywhere,” she said.
“That’s why we find the emotional, spiritual and sexual violation of children and young women.”
She said they were receiving
reports almost every week of young people telling them they had been sexually violated by religious leaders.
Most of the victims wouldn’t go to the police.
“That’s why we’ve always said there’s a need for a committee where people can feel safe to tell their stories,” she said.
It was agreed that a body controlled by religious leaders and independent of the commission would be formed.
Pastor Ray McCauley of the Rhema Bible Church said over 1 000 religious institutions in the country were being run illegally.
“They are not registered, they pay no tax, they have no structures, they do not account to anybody, and they are just running wild all over the country,” he said.
All church leaders including Phakama Shembe of the Shembe Baptist Church, Emmanuel Motolla of the ZCC Church, and Thami Ngcana of the Council of African Independent Churches supported the idea of forming the committee.
