Pastors against church closures have threatened to vote against the African National Congress (ANC) in the upcoming local government elections if government fails to allow churches to open at 100% capacity.
Under Level 3 lockdown regulations, churches are allowed to operate at 50% capacity but some church leaders say this is not viable and has negatively impacted on churches.
Hundreds of church leaders and congregants are protesting at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, calling for an end to the regulation. They also want charges against pastors who flouted regulations to be dropped.
The movement’s Moafrika Wa Maila says the ANC does not recognise churches.
“It’s a declaration, there is no more for the ANC in the churches. It will be a slogan, from here. If seven days pass, if next week churches are not open at 100%, there is no vote for the ANC in our churches. And there is no more voting stations in our churches. We have 22 000 voting stations of which 4 800 of them are in the churches, they must move out, that’s the period if it. As we are speaking, the church declares a line between itself and government from here.”
Pastors lead a mass protest against church closures in the Union Buildings:
