Ms Nosimo Balindlela, at the Methodist Church of Southern Africa
6 October 2007
Programme Director
Ladies and gentlemen
Comrades and friends
Thank you for inviting me to share with you as you celebrate 125 years in
the life of the Methodist Church. I am reliably informed that this church has
undergone many changes such as name changing from St Johns to DJ Matshekula, as
well as changes in the administration and the colour of the congregants. I have
no doubt that this transformation is in line with the political changes that
this church fought for in order that today we can talk of a free South
Africa.
The church played a very big role in bringing about the political changes in
this country. In the dark nights of apartheid repression the Methodist church
and its clergy suffered heavily. Some clergies and followers of the church were
killed or maimed but you continued to provide a safe haven for the sons and
daughters of Africa who were victims of apartheid. You risked your lives by
defying the hated apartheid system and detention, conducting mass funerals of
apartheid victims of police shootings under the watchful eyes of the security
police and antiriot police.
The church continues to have a major influence to the changing of evil
regimes. It was Martin Luther King who fuelled the hope and the fire of the
African American dream with his speech entitled, "I have a dream". That speech
united African Americans against the injustices in their country and it
continues to be inspirational to the present day.
Enock Mgijima died with his followers "the Israelites" in the Bulhoek
Massacre because they were seen as a threat to the South African regime. During
the most repressive 80's, when the Nationalist government spoke of the
onslaught and many people were either in prison or went to exile the clergy led
the marches in your cassocks and fell where the people fell. By your example
you taught of the God who did not tolerate oppression, but who stood with the
oppressed.
It was also the church that led the painful process of healing through the
Truth and Reconciliation process. This was a crucial vehicle to bring healing,
unearth the truth about the victims of apartheid, some of whom had been slain
and were never found by their relatives. What role does the church have in the
present dispensation? It still has a vital role to play in healing and bringing
social cohesion to the nation.
Just as you took a leading role in the struggle against apartheid, so should
you still be at the forefront of helping to deliver a better life and healing
to all our people. Now that apartheid is over, it is encouraging to see the
church taking a stand against evils and engaging the government in policies so
that in partnership we can work to fight poverty and unemployment.
The church has to vigorously move towards being an active entity to bring
about social cohesion and a better life for all. We count on the religious
fraternity to help us restore the moral values and the respect for each other
that were destroyed by the inhumanity of apartheid. What South Africa needs now
is not only good government and good laws. We need people who are committed to
making country of our dreams with good morals to serve people with honesty,
integrity and humility.
We need religious people who live their faith and lead by example. It has
been encouraging to see the church play an active role in the fight against HIV
and AIDS. Just the other day Reverend Ndungane took a public HIV and AIDS Test
and also challenged other clergies to do the same. I am sure with that kind of
public act many people would want to do the same and know their status. I also
want to challenge you to do the same.
As you know, Reverend Ntshinga is the CEO of the AIDS Council. He has been
accompanying me in the Outreaches to all the districts telling people about HIV
and AIDS. When people see us working together they begin to see that the church
and the government shares the same vision, which is making a better life for
all. The church needs to unite around poverty and HIV and AIDS, just as it did
around apartheid.
The South African Council of Churches is one of the organisations chosen to
get the Premier's Poverty Alleviation Fund which is in the forefront to help
the poor and the sick. This fund aims to contribute towards poverty alleviation
by assisting selected partner organisations to implement innovative projects
that focus on, HIV and AIDS, food security and nutrition, human rights issues
and entrepreneurship and co-operatives support. We need more churches to
partner with government so that the vision of a bright future for our people is
realised.
As this church celebrates so many years of its existence, may you continue
another 125 to fight for justice, moral regeneration and peace for our
people.
I thank you
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
6 October 2007
Source: Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecpg.gov.za/)
