The Central Committee of the South African Council of Churches (SACC) met in Johannesburg 11-12 August 2003 under the theme "Churches Unite Against Poverty". The annual meeting brings together delegates from the Council's 24 member denominations and a number of affiliated faith-based organisations to discuss matters of common concern to the ecumenical movement and to set directions for the SACC's work.

Delegates called on member churches to help communities to identify local needs and to secure the resources necessary to address these needs, recognising that communities often possess valuable but under-appreciated resources. Mr. Dilane Mthembu, Chief Executive Officer of the National Development Agency, addressed the delegates, urging local churches to become more active in local development. He indicated that the NDA is prepared to work closely with churches to catalyse local development, an offer that was warmly welcomed by delegates.

The Central Committee asked churches to explore new ways to make church land available to communities for sustainable production, to co-ordinate the provision of services and programmes across denominations and to assist eligible people to obtain social grants.

The SACC also called on the government to formulate a comprehensive social protection policy in consultation with all stakeholders, reiterated its commitment to working for a Basic Income Grant as part of a comprehensive social protection package and urged that military spending be redirected to finance investment in health, poverty eradication and environmental reconstruction.

In other actions, the Central Committee:

• Applauded the government's pledge to make anti-retroviral treatment available through public hospitals and urged local churches to monitor implementation of the programme;
• Endorsed continuing peace efforts in Zimbabwe, offering encouragement and support to Zimbabwean churches in their united witness and asking the South African government to be more pro-active in seeking a resolution of that country's political and humanitarian crisis;
• Called on employers of domestic workers not only to observe but also to exceed the minimum wage and conditions standards set by government for the sector;
• Asked government to upgrade existing roads in the Eastern Cape instead of approving the proposed N2 toll road through the "greenfields" section of Pondoland;
• Condemned incidents of sexual harassment and child abuse within churches;
• Urged churches to take seriously their role in promoting the moral and spiritual development of the nation and responsible citizenship;
• Reaffirmed its long-standing opposition to capital punishment and called upon the African Union to declare capital punishment a violation of the African Charter of Human and People's Rights; and
• Encouraged churches to facilitate voter registration and voter education (particularly amongst youth) and asked the Justice Ministries Unit of the SACC to establish ecumenical monitoring and mediation teams in each province in anticipation of the 2004 General Election.

The Central Committee also confirmed the appointment the Rev. Dr. H. Russel Botman as the President of the SACC. Professor Botman, who was elected Senior Vice-President of the SACC at the Council's 2001 triennial National Conference, succeeded to the presidency following the resignation of Bishop Mvume Dandala. On Sunday, Bishop Dandala was installed as the new General Secretary of the All Africa Conference of Churches.

Professor Botman is a minister of the Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa and former moderator of the Southern Africa Alliance of Reformed Churches. The former dean of the Faculty of Religion and Theology at the University of the Western Cape, he was appointed Professor of Missiology at Stellenbosch University in 2000. He is currently the Vice-Rector (Teaching) at Stellenbosch University, principal of the Theological School of the Uniting Reformed Church and Director of Stellenbosch University's Beyers Naudé Center for Public Theology. His research interests include Public Theology, Ecumenics and Economic Globalisation.

In a related decision, the Central Committee elected the Rev. Diane Vorster to replace Prof. Botman as the Council's Senior Vice President. Rev. Vorster is a minister of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa and a former moderator of that denomination. In 2001, she was elected to the National Executive Committee of the SACC.

For further information, contact Fr. Joe Mdhlela 083 641 1281