EFF statement on ACDP and its hypocritical insistence that churches must open during Covid-19 lockdown
31 May 2020
The EFF condemns the dangerous, murderous and absolutely hypocritical call by ACDP for places of worship to be open during Covid-19 Lockdown. This follows the irresponsible, irrational, unscientific and absolutely murderous announcement by Ramaphosa that places of worship can be opened under Lockdown Level 3 Regulations.
The EFF makes no apology whatsoever for making its call to all believers not to heed to this irrational call. We reiterate what the CIC Julius Malema said at our Press Conference on Thursday, 28 May: that the people of South Africa must not go to church or any places of worship during the fight against Covid-19.
We welcome the majority of indigenous African churches like Zion Christian Church and Nazareth Baptist Church, together with other mosques and synagogues that have distanced themselves from Ramaphosa's call and indicated they would remain closed.
This begs the question as to whom did Ramaphosa consult in arriving at his decision to open places of worship. If the biggest African churches in the form of ZCC of Bishop Lekganyane and NBC of Bishop Shembe have declared to continue closure in light of COVID-19. then who did Ramaphosa consult? These two churches only, constitute the biggest congregations amongst African communities. how can you not consult them when you decide to open places of worship. It also proves that ACDP does not speak for the millions of congregants and Christians inspired by Bishop Lekganyane and Bishop Shembe. This is already proven by the fact of their dismissal of the call to open places of worship. ACDP stands alone in its heretic path, based on a convoluted interpretation of the church and the economy.
To show that ACDP is driven by ill intentions, their justification for opening places of worship rests on the fact that churches contribute to the economy. In their recent statement, they go to extents of demonstrating that churches employ people, pay taxes and make financial contributions to Covid-19 Solidarity Fund.
This is what drives ACDP; they want society to think of churches as companies, employment agencies and profiteers. How different is this from what Jesus found in the Temple inside the books Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-18, Luke 19:45-47, John 2:13-16? If Jesus were in South Africa today, he would do to ACDP what he did to those he found gambling in the Temple. Because to call for people to congregate during the fight against Covid-19 is to gamble with peoples lives!
The EFF does not claim to hold any monopoly on the interpretation of biblical narratives. However, we know that even during the pandemics that attacked Egypt in Exodus, God told his people to stay at home. This did not mean they were less his children if they did not come out to perform usual rituals of worship. It simply meant there is a pandemic and no one must test God, particularly driven by the hypocritical desire to use faith as if it is a capitalist tool for private profiteering; contributing to the capitalist, profit-driven economy.
The Covid-19 pandemic thrives on those who undermine social distancing. All the epidemiological evidence, as attested by the World Health Organisation, is unequivocal that South Africa is not ready to relax lockdown regulations and allow normal economic and social activities.
Society should unite in solidarity to work for the survival of all. No one, even private capitalists, should be risking people's lives to make a profit. All profit-driven activities must
be set aside for the solidarity and survival of all human beings. It is time to share all resources because of the crisis facing humanity as a whole.
Our faith is going through the most significant test in these times: we must be strong and survive so that when the epidemic passes, we all flock to enjoy the fellowship of all saints
Issued by Vuyani Pambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 31 May 2020
