The South African Council of Churches (SACC) has appointed a group of Eminent Leaders to mediate a dispute that is threatening to tear apart St. John's Apostolic Faith Mission Church. The group will be led by Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Mrs Adelaide Tambo and former South African Council of Churches President, Dr Khoza Mgojo.

A reconciliation indaba is schedule to take place at the SACC National Office in Khotso House, Johannesburg on Tuesday, 23 August 2005.

Dr. Molefe Tsele, the General Secretary of the SACC, said this week that the Council "could not stand by while the children of God are engaged in a conflict that we believe can be resolved". He said that the Council felt it should enlist the services of Archbishop Tutu, Mrs Tambo and Dr Mgojo to help bring the warring parties together.

The Apostolic Church, formed in 1914 by Mother Christina Nku, experienced its first split in 1970, resulting in Archbishop Petrus Masango becoming President of the church, a position regarded within the hierarchy of the church as superior to that of Archbishop. Since then, the church has experienced a number of disputes, culminating in the recent tensions that have seen property being destroyed and life threatened.

"This is a complex matter," Dr. Tsele observed. "We do not claim to have the answers, but our approach is that the collective wisdom of Tutu, Tambo and Mgojo may help to bring the warring factions together to resolve their differences."

"We are saddened by what is happening in the church. We regard St. John's Apostolic Faith Mission as a historic church and greatly regret that this leadership crisis has thrown it into turmoil of this magnitude," he added.

Tsele said that, as part of the SACC's commitment to the resolution of a "difficult and complex situation, we have embarked on this process of promoting a dialogue between the groups".

The head of the SACC's Reconciliation and Healing Programme, Canon Luke Pato, said that the Council is working to ensure that a two-day meeting of St John's Apostolic Faith Mission, scheduled for next Saturday and Sunday at the church's headquarters in Katlehong on the East Rand, is conducted in a dignified and peaceful manner. "Our hope is that the meeting will pass without any incident," said Pato.

"We have every confidence in Archbishop Tutu and his team," Pato remarked. Tutu led the Truth and Reconciliation Commission process with distinction, and we believe that he and his team will help broker peace among the various factions."

For more information: Fr Joe Mdhlela (084 623 7167) or Canon Luke Pato (083 357 3961)