SAUCIC vows to challenge CRL Rights Commission

THE South African Union Council of Independent Churches (SAUCIC) is poised to take a stand against what it describes as the unilateral actions of the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission).

- JONISAYI MAROMO [e-mail]

CHAIRPERSON of the Commission for the Promotion of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities, Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva. I JONISAYI MAROMO SAUCIC president Cardinal Archbishop Modiri Patrick Shole. I Supplied

(JONISAYI MAROMO Supplied)

This declaration comes amid rising concerns regarding the impact of the Commission's decisions on religious freedoms in the country.

IOL reported on Monday that the establishment of a new consultative body to oversee churches and faith institutions in South Africa has reignited a national debate about the state's role in religion, with critics warning that the initiative could pave the way for government control over matters of faith.

Last week, the CRL Rights Commission introduced a Section 22 Committee, described as a peer-review mechanism aimed at promoting accountability and curbing abuse within religious organisations.