Source: Pastor Bert Pretorius, President – South African Community of Faith-Based
Fraternals and Federations (SACOFF)
Editor’s note: The statement below is published in full and unedited. In a press statement issued on the 16th of January, SACOFF responded to the resignation of Rev. Professor Musa Xulu with the following:
The South African Community of Faith-Based Fraternals and Federations (SACOFF) has
taken note of the public resignation statement issued by Rev Professor Musa Xulu,
Chairperson of the Section 22 Committee appointed by the CRL Rights Commission.
At the outset, SACOFF wishes to state clearly that SACOFF does not seek to adjudicate
claims, assign blame, or take sides in matters that may require further investigation.
However, SACOFF cannot ignore the fact that several long-standing concerns raised
publicly and formally by SACOFF have now been explicitly confirmed by the former
Chair of the Committee.
Over the past months, SACOFF has consistently warned of:
– Procedural irregularities in the establishment and operation of the Section 22
Committee
– A lack of transparency and clarity regarding mandate, terms of reference, and
representativity
– Undue interference that undermines the independence of the Committee
– A growing drift from genuine self-regulation toward legislated control of religion by
the state
The resignation statement, now placed in the public domain, corroborates these concerns in
material detail, including serious allegations of interference, exclusion, intimidation,
representational deficits, and a predetermined legislative agenda.
SACOFF notes that questions have been raised regarding the breadth and legitimacy of
representation within the Section 22 process, claiming “45 million Christians represented”. In
a country as diverse as South Africa, no single forum can reasonably claim to speak on behalf
of the full spectrum of Christian communities unless broad, verifiable inclusion is
demonstrably present. Processes that limit participation or construe disagreement as
obstruction risk undermining social cohesion and stand in tension with the CRL Rights
Commission’s constitutional responsibility to foster unity, dialogue, and mutual respect
among faith communities.”
In light of these developments:
- SACOFF will request a formal meeting with the CRL to discuss the allegations raised
in the resignation statement of the Chair of the Committee with regards to the hostility
towards Pentecostal and Charismatic church representatives and other allegations
raised. - Subsequent meetings will be requested with the TEASA executive and certain Section
22 committee members representing the Pentecostal and Charismatic churches in
South Africa to clarify the allegations made by Professor Xulu regarding the
representation of certain organisations.
SACOFF calls for: - Full transparency from the CRL regarding the legal basis, composition, and
mandate of the Committee - A reset of engagement with the faith sector based on voluntary, sector-led
mechanisms - Recognition and strengthening of existing instruments, such as the South
African Charter of Religious Rights and Freedoms - Good-faith dialogue that includes all major Christian traditions without
intimidation or exclusion
SACOFF remains committed to constructive engagement with the CRL Rights Commission
and all organs of state but will continue to defend constitutional religious freedom without
compromise.
Our position remains unchanged:
SACOFF remains firmly committed to upholding the constitutional right to freedom of
religion, belief, and association for all South Africans, while equally supporting the protection
of individuals who may be harmed by criminal conduct within religious spaces. SACOFF
supports lawful, transparent, and evidence-based measures that address criminality. However,
SACOFF does not support the imposition of state control over religion, which undermines
constitutional freedoms, is unnecessary in light of existing legal frameworks, and is neither
practical nor sustainable.
SACOFF reiterates its firm position, previously articulated in multiple public statements:
– Legislated “self-regulation” is not self-regulation but state control
– The internal life, doctrine, and governance of faith communities may not be
subordinated to statutory oversight
– Existing criminal and civil laws are sufficient to deal with abuse, fraud, and
criminality
– Any process that marginalises major sectors of Christianity cannot credibly claim
national representation
Click here to KEEP UPDATED on the latest news by subscribing to our FREE weekly newsletter.
> Please support Christian media and journalism in South Africa. Help us to spread the Word of God and take a stand for the truth by making a donation to our ministry. We appreciate your support. Click here to take hands with JOY! Magazine.
Date published: 16/01/2026
Feature image sourced from Twitter/X
DISCLAIMER
JOY! News is a Christian news portal that shares pre-published articles by writers around the world. Each article is sourced and linked to the origin, and each article is credited with the author’s name. Although we do publish many articles that have been written in-house by JOY! journalists, we do not exclusively create our own content. Any views or opinions presented on this website are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company.
