Every Easter, there is reason to reflect on the dissonance between a message of salvation and the wars and rights abuses marring the world.
This year is no exception as Ukraine buries those killed by Russian missiles during a Palm Sunday procession and Sudanese and Palestinian refugees starve in wars with no end, while the US unlawfully renders immigrants to foreign prisons.
Last Easter, Deputy President Paul Mashatile wrote in these pages of the central role liberation theology played in the struggle against apartheid and colonialism and the transition to a democracy.
“I cherish the opportunity of fellowship with other believers, and will always acknowledge the role that the church has and continues to play in building our society through prayer and taking care of the vulnerable,” he added.
This year, we asked politicians what role faith plays in their lives. Some, including the leaders of the country’s two biggest political parties, found the question too personal. Others readily spoke of the convictions that sustain and guide them.
Ronald Lamola, minister of international relations and cooperation
I’m a Christian. Christian values drive my family and my personal belief and faith.
Ashor Sarupen, deputy minister of finance
Faith is a quiet compass for many South Africans. The diverse religious beliefs remind me that public service is ultimately about humility, justice and compassion, particularly for people I may never meet, in places I may never see. That sense of purpose sustains me in the work we do at the treasury and in the decisions that shape the lives of all South Africans.
David Masondo, deputy minister of finance
This holiday arrives at a moment when our resilience and unity are significantly challenged, and the ground beneath our feet feels less certain.
It is at such times that we must anchor ourselves in our shared values, both domestically and internationally. For me, the philosophy of solidarity is more than just a concept; it is a guiding principle that shapes my approach to the social dimensions of my life and my responsibilities.
As I take advantage of quiet moments this period offers, I will reflect on the importance of interdependence, community and reconciliation. These are not abstract ideals but practical values that I believe are essential across ethical, environmental and economic spheres.
Mmusi Maimane, leader of Build One South Africa
I have always been inspired by people like Martin Luther King, Beyers Naudé and so many who fought for freedom inspired by faith. It’s the self-evident truth that God made all, man and woman, equal. It’s as such why we cannot have discrimination and the very reason why there was a profound rejection of apartheid, caste systems and practices such as slavery.
My faith has guided in the realisation and actualisation of that vision, economically and from a societal perspective. My faith has kept me open and honest — not prone to cynicism and the unbelief that the world cannot change. It’s my faith that helps me believe that tomorrow can be better. It’s ultimately my faith that has kept me going in politics. I would not be here fighting for the eradication of poverty had it not been for that.
Mmamaloko Kubayi, minister of justice
My faith helps to keep me grounded and enables me to always make decisions in an objective manner, decisions that also ensure that charity and hope is given, especially in an environment where people are vulnerable as it is the case in my department.
Dean Macpherson, minister of public works
God plays an important part in my life and has been since I was a child. I was raised in a Catholic household and attended church every Sunday. My faith and trust in God have carried me through the toughest times, including losing my mother when I was 14, and my faith has kept me grounded over the past nine months since I took office.
This Easter weekend, I look forward to attending church with my partner, as I try to do as often as possible, and to reflect on what the weekend represents: a time of rebirth and second chances.
Bantu Holomisa, leader of the United Democratic Movement
I’m a servant of Bishop Thabo Mokgoba of the Anglican Church. That’s why I was roped in by the Tutu family to prepare for his funeral. In church during my younger days I was a server. At Jongilizwe College during my high school days I was a member of the Student Christian Movement. Believing in God saves one from being embroiled in life’s shenanigans.
Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters
For us, faith — whatever form it takes — is central to the struggle for the liberation of oppressed people.
There must be a level of faith in any fight for justice. That faith might be in policy, in religion, in God, in Allah — whatever it is, it matters. We believe all religions have something valuable to say about social justice.
As the EFF, we draw inspiration from this. We align ourselves with principles like helping others, uplifting the lives of the poor, being kind and staying humble. These are values found across many religions, and they resonate with our movement.
That’s why we embrace all forms of religious expression within the EFF. They influence our politics — not in a dogmatic way, but in shaping our commitment to justice, compassion, and solidarity.
Pieter Groenewald, minister of correctional services
God holds a pivotal centre role in my life, I go to church and pray every day and that guides me in my work. My favourite quote is: “Put everything in the hands of God.”
Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for the ministry of international relations
Growing up immersed in the rhythms and rituals of a deeply Christian world, I once viewed faith through the prism of exclusivity — a bordered landscape of dogma and doctrine. The wisdom of voices like Tutu began to unravel a more expansive truth: that the Divine cannot be confined to the walls of a single tradition.
Tutu’s conviction that “God is not Christian” calls us to recognise that sacred values — ubuntu, the interconnectedness of humanity; fidelity to justice; the pursuit of truth — are not artefacts of any race or creed. They are the universal threads woven into the fabric of our shared existence.
To honour such principles is not to abandon one’s roots but to acknowledge a deeper kinship. For if compassion transcends borders and righteousness outlives empires, how could the sacred ever be claimed by a single name? Perhaps true faith lies in the courage to see the holy in the collective breath of humanity — boundless, uncontained and achingly alive.
Siviwe Gwarube, minister of basic education
Having a relationship with God, one that recognises that all that is required of us is to be good, decent people, is the margin that I live by. What I try to do is to be as decent a human being as I can be, as kind as I can be and somebody who people can rely on, who is honourable, fair and always happy to do what is right.
I look at God as a friend, a companion, a partner, as someone who walks before me. When I look at it like that it becomes less of a punishing God who is angry with this world because we are so impure, but more a friend who encourages us to do better.
All that I really live by when it comes to my Christianity is “love one another” and when I unpack what that means, it gives me all that I need to be guided about how I interact with people. So love one another, be kind to one another, be considerate to one another, be empathetic to one another. So yes, I pray, I pray a lot.