SACC pledges action to rebuild South Africa

The South African Council of Churches (SACC) has presented President Cyril Ramaphosa with a range of initiatives the Council will undertake, where there can be collaboration with various levels of government working alongside government, to realise what the Council envisions as the “Promise of the Post-Apartheid South Africa”. 

The Council – an inter-denominational forum of 36 member churches and organisations – laid it out its commitment to rebuilding South Africa morally and materially at a meeting with President Ramaphosa in Pretoria today, Thursday 08 August 2019. 

President Ramaphosa met with the SACC as part of ongoing engagement between government and all sectors of civil society as part of building social  compacts for renewal, growth and development. 

Through advocacy, care and empowerment the SACC works for moral reconstruction in South Africa, focusing on justice, reconciliation, integrity of the natural environment, the eradication of poverty, and contributing towards the empowerment of all those who are spiritually, socially and economically marginalised. 

The Council briefed the President that its initiative arose from its concern that South Africa was spatially, socially, economically and politically polarised. The Council is also of the view of that the cost of corruption and maladministration to poor communities has been immense and that recovery requires long, hard and systemic work. 

The Council will leverage the rich outcomes of their recent National Convention of South Africa initiative, articulated in its “The South Africa We Pray4” campaign Civil Society Manifesto, to increase its public engagement as a moral voice that will champion social justice and constitutional values. Among other interventions, member churches will also engage communities in local economic development projects. 

President Ramaphosa welcomed the SACC proposals and briefed the Council on actions government has undertaken in areas such as health, economic opportunities for youth and the repositioning of Eskom to renew society and build the economy.

Government will continue to engage with the SACC on how the intended collaboration can be realised.
 

Media enquiries: Khusela Diko, Spokesperson to the President on 072 854 5707

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria