Presidency: ‘Impression that Ramaphosa said churches should not get involved in politics is incorrect’

12 April 2016 - 09:34 By TMG Digital
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Noting the “role the churches have played in the history of the country”‚ Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday set out to “correct the incorrect impressions” that he told churches to stay out of politics.

Despite an eternally promising political career, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa seems unlikely to succeed Jacob Zuma as South Africa’s president.
Despite an eternally promising political career, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa seems unlikely to succeed Jacob Zuma as South Africa’s president.
Image: REUTERS

“During the church service held at Mahwelereng's Church of the First Born‚ Deputy President Ramaphosa implored the congregation to pray for leaders and the government‚” a Presidency statement said on Sunday’s address.

  • COPE withdraws from Parliamentary activitiesCongress of the People (COPE) has withdrawn from parliamentary activities saying the ANC’s refusal to act against President Jacob Zuma has made it guilty of contempt of court.

“An impression that may have been created that the church should not get involved in politics is therefore incorrect.”

The statement said Ramaphosa “appreciates and remembers…the outstanding role the churches played during the struggle against apartheid mobilising the international community against what the broader church termed a heresy.”

The Presidency clarification comes after Congress of the People (Cope) spokesperson Dennis Bloem had‚ in announcing his party’s withdrawal from parliamentary activities‚ citing the ruling party’s refusal to act against President Jacob Zuma‚ also attacked Rampahosa.

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“…Cope has noted with shock the declaration by…Ramaphosa that church leaders should not meddle in politics but that they should pray for government and government leaders‚” Bloem said on Monday.

“Cope places it on record that we reject this misguided statement by the deputy president demeaning religious leaders with the contempt that it deserves.” Bloem added.

He said Cope recalled the “with deep gratitude those religious leaders who in the course of the struggle stood courageously by the oppressed people in the fight to overthrow apartheid”.

“We remember how they rejected out of hand calls by leaders of the apartheid regime not to stray into politics.

“It may be that Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa slept through those years of the struggle when these men and women in the religious establishment stood up in opposition to apartheid and spoke out against its evil‚” Bloem added.

The Presidency statement appeared to address this by saying: “Deputy President Ramaphosa welcomes the robust manner in which the churches and all other religious formations have engaged the government on critical issues facing our country.

“Deputy President is of the conviction that working together with the churches and indeed other religious formations we can help create a better life for all our people and move our country forward.”

Cope’s decision on a withdrawal from National Assembly proceedings followed a meeting of the party’s Congress Executive Committee in Johannesburg on Monday to consider the recent judgment of the Constitutional Court which ruled that Zuma had violated the constitution.

The party said it had resolved not to allow any Cope representative in the National Assembly to take part in its proceedings until there was clarity from the Constitutional Court on how to proceed.

“Cope is determined not to make itself guilty through participation in activities that are in contempt of court. Our representatives cannot break their oath of office.

“To this end Cope‚ working with other like-minded opposition parties‚ will approach the ConCourt to seek clarity on the way forward‚” said Bloem.

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