“Concerned church leaders across Nelson Mandela Bay have identified the Local Government Elections on 4 November 2026 as an important priority for the Church in our metro this year,” says Rev Danie Mouton, Director Synod Eastern Cape DRC, in a media statement.
“We therefore share the statement, A Christian Public Witness, as a resource for churches and their members,” he says. The document, which is endorsed by the senior church leaders listed at the end of this media statement, can be downloaded here.
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“This initiative is strictly non-partisan. The churches do not endorse, favour or oppose any political party or candidate. Our purpose is to help Christians understand the biblical motivation for participating in the election and to encourage voters to make informed choices guided by biblical principles,” says the media statement.
It continues: “The leaders also aim to provide trustworthy information about the two ballots and the voting process, together with the practical information voters need before election day.
“The statement [A Christian Public Witness]calls Christians to seek the wellbeing of the whole city by participating thoughtfully and responsibly. It encourages voters to assess candidates and parties according to their honesty, wisdom, competence, accountability and commitment to service rather than status, power or personal gain.
“It explains the responsibilities of local government and the impact that poor governance and unreliable services have on residents—especially poor households, unemployed people, women, older persons and people with disabilities.
“The document also addresses voter apathy, explains the roles of ward and proportional representation councillors, and urges voters to examine both ward candidates and party PR lists carefully. Finally, it provides practical guidance on voting stations, acceptable identification, special votes, candidate lists, assistance for voters with disabilities and the secrecy of both ballots.”
Mouton concludes: “We respectfully ask pastors and church leaders to:
- Read and share the statement with their congregations
- Draw attention to relevant sections during worship services and other church gatherings over the coming weeks
- Encourage members to become informed and to use both votes responsibly
- Use the social-media graphics available through the link in the document on Facebook, WhatsApp and other communication platforms.
Signatories
| Church | Title | Name |
| Moderator Presbyterian Church (Central Cape) | Reverent | Andile George |
| Director Synod Eastern Cape DRC | Reverend | Danie Mouton |
| National Director Vineyard Churches SA | Dr | Dave Pedersen |
| GRAPE | Rev | Dr Bukelwa Hans |
| Bishop of the Methodist Church of SA (Makhanda District) | Bishop | Dr William Leleki |
| Father’s House Church | Pastor | George Georgiou |
| Joy to the Nations | Pastor | Glenn Weiss |
| Anglican Church of SA (Gqeberha Diocese) | Bishop | Grant Walters |
| NMB City Wide Prayer Coordinator | Joan Keeling | |
| Harvest Christian Church | Pastor | Mark Scholtz |
| Ebenezer International | Apostle | Neville Goldman |
| Coordinator of Concerned Ministers | Archbishop | Olwethu Vena |
| Regional Leader EC AFM | Pastor | Patrick Douglas-Henry |
| Word of Faith Ministers International | Pastor | Richard Crompton |
| New Covenant Ministries International (NCMI) | Pastor | Richard Preston |
| Ebenezer North | Pastor | Russell Viljoen |
| Church in Action (Northern Areas) | Pastor | Tyrone Strydom |
| Motherwell Ministers Fraternal | Pastor | Victor Befile |
| Catholic Diocese Gqeberha | Bishop | Vincent Zungu |
| Emthonjen Family Church | Bishop | Zwai Ntanjana |
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