President Jacob Zuma today, 15 December 2015, met with the leadership of the South African Council of Churches (SACC) at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
The leadership had asked for the meeting to discuss the recent changes in Cabinet and also to share with the President the campaign of a national healing and socio-economic development to be launched by the SACC tomorrow on 16 December 2015.
The church leaders raised their concerns about the events related to the changes in Cabinet, and the perceptions and speculation this matter had generated in the public domain, related to the South African Airways and the nuclear programme. They also spoke about perceptions of corruption in government, deepening poverty and the need for government and all sectors to work together, amongst others.
The President briefed the delegation on how the matters relating to changes in Cabinet had unfolded and they appreciated the response. He said the meeting between the SACC and government was long overdue and that government and the SACC should have found a way to work together after the 1994 democratic breakthrough to build a new society.
The SACC briefed the President on the details of the “The South Africa We Pray For” campaign which will launched tomorrow, 16 December on National Reconciliation Day, anchored on healing and reconciliation.
President Zuma assured the church leaders of his support and that of Government in its entirety.
The meeting emphasised that collaboration between government and the church was important in the areas of poverty alleviation, economic transformation, social development, healing and reconciliation, the fight against corruption as well as combating crime.
It was agreed that the next Government-SACC meeting should take place in the New Year to discuss the issues raised in the SACC campaign proposal in detail. The President said government departments affected by the programme will in the meantime engage the issues to be able to respond to the proposals at the next meeting.
The South African Council of Churches delegation was led by SACC President, Bishop Zipho Siwa; Vice-President Rev Frank Chikane; Secretary General Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana, Rev Michael Lapsley, the Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, Catholic Archbishop of Pretoria Diocese William Slattery and SA Catholic Bishops Conference Justice and Peace representative and Pretoria North Catholic priest Father Patrick Rakeketsi.
President Zuma was accompanied by the Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Ms Susan Shabangu and the Minister of Social Development Ms Bathabile Dlamini.
Enquiries:
Bongani Majola
Cell: 082 339 1993
E-mail: bonganim@presidency.gov.za
