The South African Council of Churches is to petition the Deputy President Jacob Zuma, calling him to intervene on the decision by the Gauteng Provincial Government to introduce the Provincial Liquor Bill which when adopted will legalise the sale of alcohol in the Province on Sundays.

The SACC will also seek to have an urgent meeting with the Gauteng Premier, Mbazima Shilowa, to express its unhappiness about the lack of consultation "in a matter that clearly undermines the commitment of the Church and government to the Moral Regeneration of our nation".

The National Executive Committee of the SACC which met on Wednesday, felt the proposed Liquor Bill was problematic, and this was exacerbated by the fact that the Provincial Finance MEC Jabu Moleketi did not even bother to consult with the SACC to solicit its view on this matter.

"We are left wondering why the Gauteng MEC is picking on us? What agenda is the MEC for Finance having to even think of introducing such a contentious Bill without consulting with relevant stakeholders, including the Churches and other religious organisations?

"We view his stance as arrogant, and deeply hurtful to the ecumenical movement.

"It might serve Mr Moleketi well to know that we are not seeking any confrontation. As the SACC we are deeply hurt by his unilateral decision to propose a Bill that affects our people without even bothering to consult with us," said the SACC general secretary, Dr Molefe Tsele.

The SACC is even beginning to wonder if the decision to introduce the Bill is not motivated by the interests of the liquor industry, whose business considerations may not even take into account the social impact this Bill will have on the consumers.

“Should we just be allowing our people to have a seven-day non-stop binge, and not bother about the consequence of what the business interests and the MEC for Finance are visiting upon our people?”

Tsele said the fact that we have a democracy, should not mean that we should be a nation without morals, "and we think that the decision by the MEC for Finance to even consider the introduction of this Bill for consideration is a slap in the face for our efforts to restore the moral fibre of our society."

"As the SACC, we have committed ourselves to working with the government, the trade unions, and other civil organisations, to work towards the restoration of the morality of our people. Democracy without morality is counter-productive, and will not serve our cause as a nation."

6 June 2002

Released by
South African Council of Churches Communication Department

For more details, Phone Fr Joe Mdhlela at 082 456 5548 or (011) 838 0009.