12 February 2006
North West MEC for Public Works, Honourable Mr Howard Yawa, today paid
tribute to African Independent Churches for the role they played in the
struggle against colonialism, oppression and apartheid. He was addressing close
to 10 000 congregants of the Church of Christ's Assemblies at the church's
headquarters in Ledig near Sun City.
MEC Yawa said the African Independent Churches played a crucial role in
promoting a religious philosophy that was based on sound African value
systems.
He said pioneers of African Independent Churches like Bishop Engenas
Lekhanyane of the Zion Christian Church, Prophet Isaiah Shembe of the Nazareth
Baptist Church (Commonly known as the Shembe Church) and Prophetess Catherine
Ngcwelane, the founder of the Church of Christ's Assemblies made an important
contribution in redefining what it means to be an African and a Christian at
the same time.
Paying tribute to Mother Ma-Mbhele as the Prophetess was affectionately
known to her congregants. He said that like struggle heroines, Lillian Ngoyi,
Ruth Mompati, Dora Tamana and Queen Modjadji, the Prophetess personified
women's struggle against racial, gender and class oppression and contributed
towards the redefinition of the role of women in society and prepared the
ground for the struggle for gender equality.
He said that the leadership of the ANC in the early 20th Century were
staunch believers, he cited that the first President of the African National
Congress (1912-1919), John Mafukuzela Dube and the second President of the ANC,
Reverend Makgatho as early founders of one of the early African Independent
Churches, the United National Church.
MEC Yawa said the church has an important and critical role to play in our
society today, especially in building a society that cares and is built on the
foundation of strong moral values.
He called on the church to mobilise its constituency to assume its rightful
role in strengthening the democratic system of governance by participating on
01 March Local Government Elections.
"We trust that we will continue working together to make further advances in
the second decade of our democracy to build a better life for all in our
country," concluded MEC Yawa.
Contact:
Moses Kgwele
Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: (018) 387 2447
Cell: 083 629 1987
Issued by: Department of Public Works, North West Provincial
Government
12 February 2006
