South African Council of Churches
Encyclopedia
The South African Council of Churches (SACC) is an interdenominational forum in South Africa
. It was a prominent anti-apartheid
organisation during the years of apartheid in South Africa. Its leaders have included Desmond Tutu
, Beyers Naudé
and Frank Chikane
.
were destroyed by a bomb
in 1988. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission later found that State President PW Botha had personally ordered the bombing. Former Minister of Law and Order Adriaan Vlok
and several senior policemen applied for and were granted amnesty
for the bombing. The bombing party was directed by Eugene de Kock
, then commander at Vlakplaas
, a secret facility of the security branch of the South African Police force.
(ANC). In recent times, there have been claims that the ANC has marginalised the Council and that there are also tensions between the two organisations. The SACC has also been extremely critical of the ANC for its role in the September 2009 militia attacks on Kennedy Road informal settlement calling for an independent investigation into police inaction and the release of community leaders associated with Abahlali baseMjondolo
and the Kennedy Road Development Committee..
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It was a prominent anti-apartheid
History of South Africa in the apartheid era
Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced by the National Party governments of South Africa between 1948 and 1994, under which the rights of the majority 'non-white' inhabitants of South Africa were curtailed and white supremacy and Afrikaner minority rule was maintained...
organisation during the years of apartheid in South Africa. Its leaders have included Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
, Beyers Naudé
Beyers Naudé
Christiaan Frederick Beyers Naudé was a South African cleric, theologian and the leading Afrikaner anti-apartheid activist...
and Frank Chikane
Frank Chikane
Frank Chikane is a South African civil servant, writer and cleric. He is a member of the African National Congress.-Biography:...
.
Leadership
The SACC is governed by a national conference that meets once every three years. The resolutions of the conference are implemented by a central committee that meets annually. The committee is chaired by either the president or a vice-president of the Council. An executive committee is elected by the central committee and meets at least four times a year. The officers of the Council include a president, vice-presidents, and a general secretary who acts as executive officer http://www.sacc.org.za/about/constitution.html.General secretaries
[dates need verification]- Mr Edwin Makue (Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa), 2006-http://www.sacc.org.za/news06/newgs.html
- Dr Molefe Tsele (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa), 2001-2006?http://www.sacc.org.za/news06/newgs.htmlhttp://www.sacc.org.za/news/tselebio.html
- Rev Charity Majiza (Presbyterian Church), 1998-2000http://www.mg.co.za/article/1997-11-11-south-americans-trained-apartheid-torturershttp://www.sacc.org.za/news/bishop_dandalas_address.htm
- Ms Brigalia Bam (Church of the Province of South Africa), 1994-1998http://pages.interlog.com/~saww/2000Brigalia.htmlhttp://www.idea.int/about/board/bam_brigalia.cfmhttp://www.thepresidency.gov.za/orders_list.asp?show=196
- Rev Frank ChikaneFrank ChikaneFrank Chikane is a South African civil servant, writer and cleric. He is a member of the African National Congress.-Biography:...
(Apostolic Faith Mission), 1987-1994http://www.sacc.org.za/about/celebrate12.htmlhttp://www.dacb.org//stories/southafrica/chikane_frank.html - Rev Dr CF Beyers Naudé (Reformed Church in Africa), 1984-1986?http://www.sacc.org.za/about/celebrate11.html
- Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu (Church of the Province of South Africa), 1978-1984http://www.sacc.org.za/about/celebrate2.html
- Rev John Thorne (United Congregational Church), 1977 (3 months)http://www.sacc.org.za/about/celebrate8.html
- Mr John Rees (Methodist Church of Southern Africa), 1970-1977http://www.sacc.org.za/about/celebrate2.html
- Archbishop Bill Burnett (Church of the Province of South Africa), 1967-1969http://www.sacc.org.za/about/celebrate3.html
Presidents
[dates need verification]- Prof. Tinyiko Sam Maluleke (Evangelical Presbyterian Church), 2007- http://www.sacc.org.za/news07/disgrace.html
- Prof. Russel Botman (Uniting Reformed Church), 2003-2007http://www.sun.ac.za/NEWS/ekampusnuus/dokumente/botmancv_eng.pdf
- Presiding Bishop Mvume DandalaMvume DandalaMvumelwano Mvume Dandala is a former presiding bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa and a former head of the All Africa Council of Churches...
(Methodist Church of Southern Africa), 1998-2003 - Bishop Sigqibo Dwane (Order of Ethiopia), 1995-1998 http://www.sacc.org.za/news06/dwane.html
- Dr Khoza Mgojo (Methodist Church of Southern Africa), 1990-1995 http://www.sacc.org.za/about/celebrate13.html
- Dr Manas Buthulezi (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa), 1983-1990http://www.sacc.org.za/about/celebrate10.htmlhttp://www.sacc.org.za/docs/Liberation.pdfhttp://www.dacb.org/stories/southafrica/buthelezi_manas.html
- Bishop Peter Storey (Methodist Church of Southern Africa), 1981-1983http://www.sacc.org.za/about/celebrate9.htmlhttp://www.sacc.org.za/about/celebrate10.html
- Rev SPE Sam Buti (Reformed Church in Africa), ca. 1979http://www.sacc.org.za/about/celebrate9.html
- Rev John Thorne (United Congregational Church), ca. 1975-1976
- Rev A.W. Habelgaarn (Moravian Church), 1971-?http://www.sacc.org.za/about/celebrate4.html
- Archbishop Robert Selby Taylor (Church of the Province of South Africa), 1968
1988 bombing of Khotso House
The SACC headquarters at Khotso House in JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
were destroyed by a bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
in 1988. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission later found that State President PW Botha had personally ordered the bombing. Former Minister of Law and Order Adriaan Vlok
Adriaan Vlok
Adriaan Johannes Vlok was Minister of Law and Order in South Africa from 1986 to 1991 in the final years of the apartheid era...
and several senior policemen applied for and were granted amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
for the bombing. The bombing party was directed by Eugene de Kock
Eugene de Kock
Eugene de Kock is a former colonel of the South African Police force during Apartheid in South Africa. Dubbed "Prime Evil" by the media, he was the commander of C1 unit of the South African Police counter-insurgency group, well known for kidnapping, torturing and murdering hundreds of...
, then commander at Vlakplaas
Vlakplaas
Vlakplaas is a farm 20km west of Pretoria that served as the headquarters of the South African Police counterinsurgency unit C10 working for the apartheid government in South Africa...
, a secret facility of the security branch of the South African Police force.
Alliance with the ANC
During the Anti-Apartheid struggle, the SACC was in alliance with liberation movements such as the African National CongressAfrican National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
(ANC). In recent times, there have been claims that the ANC has marginalised the Council and that there are also tensions between the two organisations. The SACC has also been extremely critical of the ANC for its role in the September 2009 militia attacks on Kennedy Road informal settlement calling for an independent investigation into police inaction and the release of community leaders associated with Abahlali baseMjondolo
Abahlali baseMjondolo
Abahlali baseMjondolo , also known as AbM or the red shirts is a shack-dwellers' movement in South Africa which is well known for its campaigning for public housing. The movement grew out of a road blockade organized from the Kennedy Road shack settlement in the city of Durban in early 2005 and now...
and the Kennedy Road Development Committee..