SOUTH African Zionist Churches NEC (national executive committee) has distanced itself from Bishop Bheki Ngcobo's call to ignore government's ban on mass gatherings of people.
In a statement issued by the NEC through its National Secretary Veli Sinqana on Friday the national leadership has noted the statement issued by one of their members in KZN.
He said the member issued the statement while the NEC was still busy consulting provinces about what to do with government's ban and how churches will be affected.
Sinqana said after the consultation the NEC decided to abide by government's call to cancel mass gatherings and limit the numbers to 100.
He said therefore the NEC wishes to distance itself from Ngcobo's statement.
Sinqaba said there was no provincial meeting in KZN where the position to ignore government's ban was taken therefore it regards the statement as the opinion of Ngcobo.
"Subsequent to our consultation with our members the organisation agreed to comply with president Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement, but we call on government not to send police in churches to force our members but send health practitioners to promote safety," said Sinqana.
Ngcobo said he has seen the statement which was sent to him by someone but couldn't comment because no one from the NEC has contacted him about what he said.
He said he thought the NEC would communicate with him before issuing a statement to hear his side.
Sinqana told Daily Sun on Friday that it's not true that he issued the statement without consulting Ngcobo.
He said Ngcobo is part of the NEC and he is on the NEC WhatsApp group where the matter was discussed.
There has been a lot of reaction since Daily Sun published a story on Wednesday where Ngcobo called on congregants to ignore government's ban on mass gatherings.
