In light of recent reports on the situation in Zimbabwe, the South African Council of Churches (SACC) and the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) are co-ordinating a pastoral visit to Zimbabwe by a delegation of senior church leaders.

The President of the SACC, Prof. Russel Botman, and Anglican Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane will lead the delegation.

Other members include:

• Cardinal Wilfred Napier of the Roman Catholic Church;
• Archbishop Njeru Wambugu, General Secretary of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches, representing the AACC;
• Bishop Ivan Abrahams, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa and Chair of the South African Church Leaders Forum;
• Dr. Coenie Burger, Moderator of the Dutch Reformed Church;
• Pastor Ray McCauley, President of the International Federation of Christian Churches;
• Mr. Paul Graham, Executive Director of IDASA;
• Mr. Paul Nantulya, Head of Intervention and Engagement for the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation; and
• Mr. Eddie Makue, Deputy General Secretary of the SACC.

The delegation will be hosted by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches and will also consult with the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference and the Evangelical Alliance. In addition, it will visit the Caledonia Transit Camp and meet with trade unions, civil society organisations, and political leaders from both the ruling and opposition parties.

The church leaders will leave for Harare on Sunday, 10 July, and will return to report to the SACC's annual Central Committee meeting on Tuesday morning, 12 July. Following this, members of the delegation will brief the media on their visit at 13h00 on Tuesday, 12 July. The briefing will take place at Cedar Park Conference Centre, Woodmead, Johannesburg, the site of the Central Committee meeting.

For more information: Mr. Eddie Makue, 011 241 7809 or 082 853 8781