Dit is tyd vir kerke in Suid-Afrika om meer aktiewe deelnemers te wees in die geveg teen korrupsie, maar in ’n gees van ootmoed soos met ’n spieël gerig na binne.

Só sê biskop Sithembile Sipuka, president van die Suid-Afrikaanse Raad van Kerke (SARK). Hy het gepraat by ’n anti-korrupsie-konferensie wat die SARK van 23-24 Julie vir kerkleiers aangebied het.

“In die Bybel is dit duidelik God se missie dat reg en geregtigheid sal seëvier,” het Sipuka in sy openingsrede gesê. Die kerk is geroep om deelnemers te wees aan so ’n “heilige taak”.

Hy het, met verwysing na die onlangse bewerings van diepgaande korrupsie binne die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens gesê dit wys hoe wreed korrupsie is, dat ’n instansie wat bedoel is om mense te beskerm, gekompromiteer is.

Kerke kan ’n verskil maak

Korrupsie is wreed en voer oorlog teen die armes, aldus Sipuka. Die kerk moet egter ook na binne kyk, het hy bygevoeg met verwysing na pastore wat arm mense mislei om geld uit hulle desperaatheid te maak. En indien korrupsie volop is in ’n land met ’n 80% Christen-bevolking, “then the problem is in our pews. It is not outside,” het biskop Malusi Mpumlwana op sy beurt opgemerk.

Mpumlwana het bygevoeg hy het geloof dat kerke wel ’n verskil kan maak. Die SARK se lede verteenwoordig by die 25 miljoen mense. “As ons elkeen op ons eie kerke fokus sal jy ’n kwalitatiewe verbetering in die karakter van die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing sien,” het hy gesê en bygevoeg dit begin al met wat kinders en jongmense geleer word in die Sondagskool en belydenisklasse.

Soos ’n ander leraar opgemerk het, “ons kansels is magtige plekke”.

‘Gewone burgers weet nie’

Een doelwit van die konferensie was om die omvang van korrupsie te verstaan. Hiervoor is swaargewigte betrek soos voormalige hoofregter Raymond Zondo, die ouditeur-generaal, Tsakani Maluleke asook die openbare beskermer, adv Kholeka Gcaleka om vanuit hulle eie ervarings te deel.

Afgevaardigdes het skokkende werklikhede deur die loop van die verrigtinge aangehoor rondom hoe diep en verspreid korrupsie is. “’n Mens kon by tye ’n speld hoor val tydens van hierdie aanbiedinge,” het dr Nioma Venter aan Kerkbode gesê. “Ons gewone burgers weet nie helfte van die omvang van korrupsie nie,” het die NG Kerk se algemene sekretaris gesê. Venter is ook tweede-visepresident van die SARK. Sy het benadruk dat dit belangrik is vir die NG Kerk om te bly opdaag in spasies soos hierdie, waar die breë kerk ekumenies onderskeidend aksie probeer neem. “Die samehorigheid van kerke hier is tasbaar, hoorbaar en aanvoelbaar,” het sy gesê.

‘Ons selfverstaan as nasie is op die spel’

Venter het die konferensie tesame met ds Jan Lubbe, moderator van die NG Kerk, en dr Christo Benadé, ’n taakspanleier, bygewoon. Lubbe meen die NG Kerk moet by selfondersoek begin en in elke gemeente vra of ons regtig die rentmeesters is waartoe God ons geroep het. “Ons samelewing en selfverstaan as Suid-Afrikaanse nasie is op die spel, en as kerkfamilie in hierdie land kán die NG Kerk dit nie ontken of op die kantlyn bly staan nie. Inteendeel, lidmate van die NG Kerk word intens geraak deur korrupsie … Ons sal lidmate wat daagliks in ‘n samelewing deurdrenk van korrupsie moet leef en werk, moet ondersteun, bemoedig en begelei; selfs fluitjieblasers beskerm! Ons sal met ‘n omvattende program van onderrig aan ons kinders en alle lidmate moet begin … met besinning oor wat ‘n regverdige lewe konkreet beteken. Hierdie land is die Here s’n,” het dié Vrystaatse kerkleier gesê.

Lees ook: Jan Lubbe | Uit my Kerkdagboek: Van Sondag in Soweto na Woensdag in Mthatha: ’n Groter lied!

’n Tweede oogmerk met die saamtrek was ’n plan van aksie. Hierdie konferensie moenie net nog ’n “talking shop” geleentheid wees nie, het Sipuka verduidelik. Kerkleiers het onder meer gehoor hoe kerke fluitjieblasers kan ondersteun, veilige spasies vir gemeenskapsdialoog kan bied en ’n opvoedingsrol kan speel om kinders van jongsaf te leer hoe om etiese burgers te wees.

Die geleentheid het afgesluit met die bekendstelling van ’n voorlopige anti-korrupsie-ooreenkoms (genoem verbond) wat na lidkerke versprei is vir hulle insette.

• Sien ook onder die persverklaring van die SARK.

MEDIA STATEMENT
NATIONAL CHURCH LEADERS ANTI-CORRUPTION CONFERENCE
25 July 2025

THE CHURCH’S CALL TO CONSCIENCE:
LEADING THE PROPHETIC VOICE ON CORRUPTION IN SOUTH AFRICA

The Church is called to serve not only as a moral witness but as a prophetic voice; unafraid to speak uncomfortable truths in pursuit of institutional and societal integrity. This prophetic task is not optional; it is fundamental to the Church’s identity. The ministry of Jesus has always stood in opposition to injustice and exploitation. Today, that mantle falls squarely on the Church in South Africa.

In a bold and unified response to the scourge of corruption, national and regional leaders of the South African Council of Churches (SACC) convened for the Church Leaders Anti-Corruption Conference. The gathering was a collective call to moral courage and national responsibility, rooted in the resolution that silence in the face of corruption amounts to complicity. The ongoing erosion of democratic values, social cohesion, and public trust demands urgent and deliberate redress.

This conference reaffirmed the Church’s conviction that corruption is not just a legal or political violation, it is a spiritual crisis. Corruption distorts the soul of the nation, weakens public institutions, undermines service delivery, and entrenches poverty. It is evident in municipal dysfunction, water shortages in communities like Makanda, and in state capture that has crippled oversight and empowered impunity. For the Church, which journeys alongside affected communities, the call to action is sacred.

The gathering brought together experienced voices from public service, theology, civil society, and whistleblower networks, who collectively exposed the chilling depth of corruption’s impact. Speakers emphasised that the private sector is often both an enabler and beneficiary of corrupt systems. Church leaders were morally outraged, and committed to renewing their public witness by embracing courageous, ethical leadership in words and actions.

A central message of the conference was that the Church cannot abdicate its responsibility in the fight against corruption. This fight demands more than condemnation; it requires acknowledgement, repentance, and transformation.
Healing begins not only through institutional reform but through the personal renewal of conscience. As Scripture reminds us, the renewal of the mind must be accompanied by the renewal of the heart. This process must confront the moral rot of normalised dishonesty, theft, and lack of integrity. Only a deeply rooted internal moral standard, shaped by truth and reverence for God, can strengthen conscience and build a society that rejects corruption.

The conference also affirmed the bravery of those already engaged in this fight, particularly whistleblowers who defend truth at great personal risk. Their protection and recognition is non-negotiable. Equally, the Church called for the full and swift conclusion of corruption cases that have long remained unresolved. Accountability cannot be delayed indefinitely.

As a demonstration of their commitment, church leaders are preparing to adopt the SACC Church Leader’s Covenant Against Corruption, which is a solemn declaration before God and the nation. This covenant, which is still being finalised, will include public commitments to:

• Preach and teach consistently against corruption through the pulpit and ministry and formation structures including children’s and youth ministries
• Protect and honour whistleblowers in church spaces
• Model and encourage ethical leadership in both public and private sectors
• Strengthen all institutions that fight corruption, especially Chapter 9 bodies
• Promote transparency and compliance within the Church’s own governance
• Be at the centre of the formation of a national movement against corruption leaving no space for corruption in politics, business, the Church, or in communities

The SACC acknowledges that this journey will be long and difficult. Yet, we draw strength from the courage of those who have taken the first steps, and we clothe ourselves in integrity and faith as we go forward.

We take heart and have courage for the road ahead, placing our hope in the Lord, the God of justice who has assured us of His presence to the very end.

ENDS