ANC denounces religious violence in Nigeria

The ANC has slammed religious killings between Nigeria's Christians and Muslims, which have claimed hundreds of lives.

Churches take issue with Zuma comments

The SA Council of Churches hopes to meet President Jacob Zuma over his "problematic" statement that a vote for the ANC will get people into heaven.

Day of prayer for Bafana -- but who will attend?

A "National Day of Prayer" for Bafana Bafana and the World Cup has been scheduled for May 29, but it appears some religious groups won't be attending.

SACC: Govt the villain in refugee saga

The primary villain in the Central Methodist Church Zimbabwean refugee saga is the government, the South African Council of Churches said on Monday.

In Cope and the Council of Churches we trust

Cope has been accused of trying to snuggle up to the SA Council of Churches after the ANC's apparent cold-shouldering of the religious body.

ANC, SACC reject claims of tension

The ANC's religious commission and the South African Council of Churches on Friday rejected claims that there was tension between them.

Why ANC dumped council of churches

The ANC has marginalised the SACC in favour of Pastor Ray McCauley's National Interfaith Leaders' Council because it refuses to cosy up to the ANC.

Give negotiations a chance, doctors told

The South African Council of Churches (SACC) has called on striking doctors to give negotiations a chance.

Tutu says South Africans, churches have lost their way

Most South Africans were still in the equivalent of the biblical wilderness, Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said on Tuesday.

Criminals fingered for xenophobic strife

Criminal elements were behind xenophobic violence in Alexandra, Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said on Thursday. Speaking to journalists after a meeting with community and provincial leaders, she said not only foreign nationals were attacked, but South Africans were also forced out of their houses.

Mbeki to brief religious leaders on Zimbabwe

President Thabo Mbeki was to brief a group of African religious leaders on the situation in Zimbabwe on Friday, his spokesperson said. The briefing would focus on his mediation efforts, but it "may touch on current issues", said Mukoni Ratshitanga.

When God says, 'Yes, maybe I do'

Marriage is an odd mixture of personal commitment and public show; of property rights and romance; of civic obligation and religious avowal. Despite religious homophobia, gay and lesbian people in South Africa have fought for their right to be married in the sight of God, writes Shaun de Waal.

Budget coalition: Poor more in need of tax breaks

The 2008 national budget took a "business as usual" approach in failing to carry through President Thabo Mbeki's commitment to change all South Africans' lives for the better, the People's Budget Coalition said on Thursday, adding that the government will not be doing anything fundamentally different from what it has done in the past.

Budget coalition calls for basic income grant

The People's Budget Coalition has reiterated its call for a basic income grant as part of its national budget wish list. Finance Minister Trevor Manuel tables the national budget on Wednesday. The coalition comprises the Congress of South African Trade Unions, South African National NGO Coalition and the South African Council of Churches.

DA calls for Ginwala commission to be disbanded

The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Wednesday urged President Thabo Mbeki to disband the Ginwala Commission of Inquiry into suspended National Director of Public Prosecutions Vusi Pikoli in view of "disturbing new evidence".

Church leaders outraged at police raid

Church leaders expressed shock and outrage on Friday at a police raid this week on the Central Methodist Church in downtown Johannesburg, during which hundreds of immigrants were arrested. Eddie Makue, general secretary of the South African Council of Churches, said for many years the Church had welcomed those who had been displaced.

SA's only state vice-president dies at 90

Former state vice-president Alwyn Schlebusch died in Pretoria on January 7 at the age of 90, his son said. Schlebusch, who served as a National Party MP for two decades and held several Cabinet portfolios, was admitted to the Pretoria East Hospital two weeks ago and was in the intensive-care unit when he died.

Women's League to 'speak for itself'

The African National Congress Women's League is to finalise its nominations for the party's leadership on Monday. Earlier, it was reported that the women's league favoured Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma. The league, however, refuted this saying it would "speak for itself" once it had consolidated the provincial nominations.

Churches call for frank succession debate

Churches should encourage a diversity of opinions and frank debate in the run-up up to the African National Congress's election of its new leadership in December, the South African Council of Churches (SACC) said on Wednesday. "Processes relating to elections are critical for the strength of democracy in our country," said the SACC.

Nadine Gordimer pleads for Burma

Nobel Prize-winning South African author Nadine Gordimer has written to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to add her voice to unprecedented protests against the ruling military junta in Burma. Eight truckloads of riot police moved into Yangon on Tuesday after a second day of mass protests against the military junta.

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