As daar ’n boek is wat elke dominee, pastoor, kerkraadslid, teologiestudent … moet lees, is dit Preacher, let my people go, deur Zakhe Mazibuko.

’n Mens kan amper nie dink dat ’n boek oor die kerk en geld nié vervelig is nie. Wel, hier is ’n uitsondering! Dalk omdat Zakhe dit regkry om iets van sy eie interessante lewensverhaal in te weef. Hy vertel van sy groot skok toe hy ontdek hoe radikaal Jesus se idees oor finansies en materiële besit verskil van dié van die kerk. Dit is ’n eerlike boek vol passie, frustrasie, diep teologiese nadenke en humor. En Zakhe is goed met woorde.

Én dade! Zakhele Mazibuko – Zakhe is sy skrywersnaam – is die bestuurder van PEN (Participate Envision Navigate) se Jeugontwikkelingsprojek in die middestad van Pretoria. Hy kry daagliks te doen met armoede en die uitdagings van stukkende jongmense uit ’n legio kulture en agtergronde; Suid-Afrikaners en vlugtelinge. Hy vertel van die groot invloed wat ds Francois Smit op sy lewe gehad het, en steeds het. “I have learned so much from him. He is one of those people I look at and say, I want to be that authentic. He’s been a true mentor to me,” sê hy.

Lees ook: PEN se mooi storie oor 30 jaar was nie sonder pyn nie

Hy is passievol oor Jesus, die nood in die gemeenskap en die rol wat die kerk kan speel. “The Church must transcend its walls and venture into the streets. We are not merely called to attend Sunday gatherings; we are called to be God’s heartbeat in the city. Our cities don’t need another church performance; they need our presence. They need churches that walk into the pain of inner cities, broken homes, overcrowded schools, and forgotten corners where young people are lost. The Church must be practical, radically practical,” sê hy.

Zakhele het grootgeword in Welkom. Hulle was nie kerkmense nie. Sy pa was betrokke by georganiseerde misdaad en hy later ook. Hy vertel hoe hy as tiener op ’n dag alleen voor ’n vyandige bende te staan gekom het. Vandag gaan hulle my doodsteek, het hy geweet. Toe bid hy en stap tussen hulle deur sonder dat hulle hom herken.

By die huis het hy eers die Koran gelees en toe ’n klein Bybeltjie wat die Gideons by hulle skool uitgedeel het. Die Here het hom aangeraak en sy hele lewe het verander. Hy het al sy vriende bymekaar geroep en vertel wat met hom gebeur het. Letterlik almal, behalwe een, het vir Jesus begin volg, vertel hy. Hulle het nie geweet wat om te doen nie, toe begin hulle om elke week verskillende kerke in die omgewing te besoek.

Wonderlike mense het oor sy pad gekom. Onder andere ’n pastoor en ’n ou tannie. “Then I met an old white stranger named, Hanti Badenhorst, who used to drive to the township alone in her Mazda 323. She created a safe space for young black people to discuss their troubles and come up with solutions. She asked the right questions until we answered ourselves. She didn’t know what to do, but she was present and made us believe in ourselves because she believed in us. She modelled what a Christ follower is and exemplified servant-leadership. She would lend me books to read, one a month, take me to restaurants to learn how to eat with a fork and knife, invite me for dinner with her family, show me photos of places she had travelled and where they were on the map. She would ask me if I could get my friends together to clean our own community in the township, then she would pay us. I learnt so many valuable lessons from her.”

Lees ook: Resensie: Vind die ritme van die lewe … soos ’n metronoom

Zakhele vertel hoe hy later self in die bediening betrokke geraak het. Die gemeentes het ’n sisteem gehad waar jy jou volle tiende moet gee, anders weier die pastoor om jou te trou, te besoek as jy siek is, en selfs om jou te begrawe. Hierdie mense maak geld uit die armes, eerder as om hulle te help! het hy met ’n skok besef. En juis uit hierdie frustrasie is sy nuwe boek gebore (sy vierde boek). Dit was baie jare gelede. Maar hy moes eers die alternatief leef, voor hy daaroor kon skryf.

Sy idees dat die kerk meer moet gee, in arm gemeenskappe, as vat, het hom erg ongewild gemaak onder van die pastore. Hulle inkomste is afhanklik van die voorspoedsteologie, vertel hy – en sê hy het daarom ook ’n mate van empatie met hulle.

Zakhele glo die kerk het ’n enorme rol te speel in Suid-Afrika. Groter as die politici. Ok die NG Kerk. Dwarsdeur sy verhaal vertel hy van NG dominees en gemeentelede wat oor sy pad gekom het en die groot rol wat hulle in sy denke en sy lewe gespeel het, onder andere Johan van Heerden en Danie Snyman.

Lees ook: Ring van Fauresmith: ‘Skattejag’ op swaarkry-dorpe bring nuwe perspektief oor kerke se betrokkenheid

Ek vertel hom van Kerkbode. Dat hierdie artikel waarskynlik deur NG Kerkleiers gelees gaan word en vra wat hy sou sê as hy met ’n klomp dominees kon praat.

“I know the power, influence, and wealth that reside within the Dutch Reformed Church and its members. The Afrikaans community has long been a people of faith, discipline, and deep-rooted values – things South Africa desperately needs today. I also know that many white South Africans feel victimised, excluded, and targeted, and that is very true and sad. But the truth is, this country cannot make it without you. We need your expertise, your experience, your values, and your strength. The policies that sought to redress inequality after 1994 were born from a desperate attempt to reverse the deep wounds of colonialism and apartheid – they were made by politicians.

We desperately need white South Africans – not to dominate, but to develop; not to rule, but to raise up others through apprenticeships, mentorship, and coaching. The Dutch Reformed Church stood at a crossroads in 1994. It helped justify apartheid in the past, and now it sat with a divine opportunity to help dismantle its lingering effects. The Church should have led the nation into unity, but it watched as politicians tried to heal wounds that only the Gospel could truly heal. There is a special role for the Church to play, and it has never been more relevant than today.

I dream of a South Africa where the Church leads the way – not as spectators, but as servants; not as critics, but as co-labourers. The Dutch Reformed Church was once part of the problem. Now, you are at the heart of the solution. Everything you touch turns to gold because you are well developed, well grounded, and blessed by God. “… And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” – Esther 4:14.

Ds Jaco Strydom is verbonde aan die Echo-Jeuggemeenskappe en die NG Gemeente Villieria.