CRL launching controversial Section 22 committee at by-invitation-only event

Also see: SA Church Defenders leading march against state control of church

The CRL Rights Commission is hosting a by-invitation-only event in Johannesburg tomorrow to launch a Section 22 committee which it says will facilitate dialogue on the self regulation of the Christian sector, but which critics say is a bid to revive a failed attempt to regulate religion in SA.

Conspicuously absent from the guest list at tomorrow’s launch at Rhema Bible Church is Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA), a widely-respected advocacy organisation which played a key role in mobilising the SA religious community to oppose the CRL’s campaign from 2015 to 2017 to get state control of religion legislated. That bid failed in 2018 when Parliament’s COGTA portfolio committee rejected the CRL’s proposals, instead recommending that the faith community develop its own self regulatory mechanisms.

Not only was FOR SA not invited to tomorrow’s launch but the CRL released what it called an “urgent media statement” on Monday, accusing FOR SA of trying to disrupt the launch by encouraging people without invitations “to storm the venue”.

According to the CRL statement the purpose of the launch is to introduce members of the committee who it says are from various Christian umbrella organisations. The CRL says the committee will travel around the country to consult with religious leaders “to ensure implementation of the portfolio committee’s recommendations on the self regulation of the Christian sector”.

The CRL’s allegations against it are “false and defamatory”, says FOR SA in a media statement. It says that, believing the Section 22 Committee launch was to be an open and transparent process, it had urged network members to register and participate.

The statement continues: “This baseless accusation is not an isolated misstep. It is the latest in a troubling pattern of attempted intimidation and defamation directed against FOR SA by the CRL Chair and leadership.

“Instead of addressing legitimate constitutional concerns about state overreach into the internal life of religious communities, the CRL has chosen to level baseless allegations of criminality and chaos against a civil society organisation fulfilling its lawful democratic mandate.

“This behaviour is not only defamatory but fundamentally at odds with the spirit of transparency, inclusivity, and dialogue the Commission claims to uphold.”

In an interview yesterday, FOR SA executive director Michael Swain said tomorrow’s Section 22 committee launch is a “veneer”. “They [the CRL] are trying to show that they have the support of faith communities, but actually I think the vast majority of faith communities – particularly churches – do not support them.”

In a press release last week FOR SA noted that the religious sector had responded positively to COGTA’s 2018 recommendations.

“The Evangelical Alliance of South Africa initiated, and the South African Council for the Protection and Promotion of Religious Rights and Freedoms developed, a Code of Conduct for Religion in South Africa.

“This Code was grounded in the South African Charter of Religious Rights and Freedoms, a landmark document adopted by over 20 million people across the faith spectrum. It provides a clear and voluntary framework of accountability by and for religious communities themselves.

“Why, then, is the CRL attempting to push for a new “Code of Conduct” through state processes when one already exists – developed inclusively by the faith community, rooted in our Constitution, and voluntarily adopted by millions? This Code is free to be adopted (“as is” or adapted to its specific context) by any faith community.

FOR SA also stated that South Africa already has a strong legal framework to address religious sector abuses. “The real problem is the enforcement of existing laws, not the absence of them. Adding another layer of legislation will not solve this,” it said.

FOR SA also said: “South Africa has already had this debate – extensively, transparently, and inclusively. It was settled in 2019, when Parliament, the faith community, and even the government itself confirmed that state regulation of religion is unnecessary, unworkable, and unconstitutional.

“The CRL’s current proposals not only threaten freedom of religion under Section 15 of the Constitution but also violate the principle of equality before the law under Section 9 by targeting only one sector of the faith community. Any legislation arising from such a process would impact all faiths, without their voices having been heard.”

Subscribe to Newsletter

Please help us to keep on publishing news that brings Hope in Jesus:

>> Donate  >> Become a Super Subscriber

VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/gatewaynews100

COMMENTING GUIDELINES
You are welcome to engage with our articles by making comments [in the Comments area below] that add value to a topic or to engage in thoughtful, constructive discussion with fellow readers. Comments that contain vulgar language will be removed. Hostile, demeaning, disrespectful, propagandistic and off-topic comments may also be moved. This is a Christian website and if you wish to vent against Christian beliefs you have probably come to the wrong place and your comments may be removed. Ongoing debates and repetitiveness will not be tolerated. You will also disqualify yourself from commenting if you engage in trolling.