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Interview with the Rev. Dr.Molefe Tsele, General Secretary of the SACC
The SACC had spoken before “against the powers” and now is struggling to re-define what it means to be prophetic in the new situation and not to be co-opted by the Government. It has to
define when to speak publicly or privately, for example in the case of Namibia. Two modes of engagement: a) with the churches participating in the SACC and b)the churches are not speaking “with” the people but “to” it. He expressed
concern about the younger generations which do not have the same degree of commitment.
Interview with the Rev. Zachariah Mohgodoo of the quarterly review Challenge.- Commenting on the new situation : 1. he expressed that most of the theologians have gone into education,
government or have become leaders of the church and are not giving their time to develop more the South African theology. In addition, they do not reflect now the same engagement in socio-economic-political issues as before during
the struggle against Apartheid. There is the lack of a critical engagement. Is it necessary to write a new Kairos document? 2. Because the government is secular, there is the impression that it is not interested in the Churches. There is not a Ministry of Religious Affairs, to which another colleague responded that he prefers no ministry for religious affairs, in order to keep the state separate from the churches. 3. The work of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee is commended, but the issue of justice to the victims of apartheid is unresolved yet. 4. One of the main challenges is the inter-faith dialogue. 4. Also the reduction of funds coming from abroad which were available is affecting the continuity of many projects and putting into effect new ones.
Visit with the Rev.Dr. Wolfram Kistner to Dr. C.F.Beyers Naude in a home for the aged.It was very emotional I when I visited Dr. Beyers Naude, a white pastor of Boer ancestry, for me the
symbol of the new South African Theology, founder of the Institute for Contextual Theology and one of the parents of the “Kairos Document”.
Interview and visit to Dr. W. Kistner in his home.- Dr. W. Kistner, Lutheran pastor of German ancestry, was from 1976 to 1988, the Director of Justice and Reconciliation of the SACC. He was
another white who chose to side with the Blacks in their oppression and struggles. According to the Apartheid Government, “Dr. K” as he was called by his friends, was “an evil genius ceaselessly planning strategies of resistance
against the Government”.
Wednesday April 7/04 travel to SOWETO.- Accompanied by the Rev. Mogomotsi Diutlwileng, director of Youth Work of the SACC. We began with the historic Roman Catholic Church Regina Coeli(?)
where there was an important exhibit of all the anti-apartheid struggle in SA and particularly in Soweto, of which this church was an important place in the uprising in 1976. I was shown different places of the church: the Black
Madonna, the effects of the shooting from the police, glass windows, the list of personalities which have visited the church, etc. Afterwards we visited the monument in construction to the first victims of the student protest.
1.2 Conclusion
We were inspired in our visit by the celebration of the Decade of Democracy in the country lived the popular movement towards the general elections in the 14th of April. The whole visit was a very moving experience for me. We are very grateful to God for this blessing and to the SACC for their hospitality. We also appreciate our colleagues Sam Kobia, André Karamaga and Melaku Kifle, for their support.
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