The 2nd Annual Ecumenical Lecture in honour of Rev Abraham Maja

On the 20th November 2011, the South African Council of Churches Limpopo hosted the 2nd Annual Ecumenical lecture in honour of Rev Abraham Maja.

It was addressed by the former National Minister of Local Government Administration and Current Director of School of Leadership,

Dr Sydney Mufamadi.

Friday, 21 October 201, Khotso House

The General Secretary of the SACC,  Rev Mautji Pataka, hosting the Board of Norwegian Church Aid. Representatives included the local Director and the General Secretary, Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Board from Norway.

The Reverend Dr. Frank Chikane was the key note speaker at this event and herewith are salient points addressed during the lecture. This thought provoking and well timed speech was an antecedent to a series of dialogues hoped to hosted within our “safe spaces for dialogue” programme as the SACC/WC in partnership with the University and various other stakeholders.

Dr. Chikane needs no introduction as a person who has been vocal for decades against any form of injustice - here is but one of the statements he uttered in one of his sermons as quoted by one of the media houses in May 2010.

"It is for this reason that we declared then that if blacks, for instances, were to take over government and practised injustices against whites we would be obliged to take a stand again, even if it means going back to jail or paying the ultimate price,"

The Lecture dealt with the following, amongst others:

(1) That the global community is suffering from the scarcity of ethical leadership which could make the world better place to live in. That there is a critical need for ethical leadership to build better societies which will relate on the basis of the common good of all;

(2) That leaders who are elected or appointed in an unethical or immoral manner using corrupt means are bound to lead in an unethical or immoral manner as they come to office corrupted and compromised already.

(3) That unethical leadership impact negatively on the moral values of the societies they lead. A case is made that there is a trickle down effect from the top to the bottom of the organisation or society which is led by unethical leaders, and that the reverse is also true.

(4) That the unique ethical leadership like Mandela, Sisulu, and others enabled us to avoid an armageddon by creating a 'rainbow nation' with blacks and whites now leaving together in peace.

(5) That crisis of high levels of dissatisfaction by particularly black youth (because of unemployment and poverty) which unsettles whites needs a joint and collective (black and white) effort of ethical leadership from all sectors of our society to turn the economy around to end the racial character of the poverty and unemployment. I intend to call for "A Coalition of the Willing' consisting of committed ethical leaders and the rest of the people of South Africa to do everything in our power to end racial economic exclusion.

(6) Our transition from apartheid to a non-racial, non-sexist, just, democratic and equitable society which is considered as a 'miracle' was possible because of a 'joint effort' by the leadership of both whites and blacks. The challenge is that 'whites' then exited from the project of transforming the society from a deeply unequal apartheid society to an equitable one leaving it to the victims of centuries of racial discrimination to found solutions to the crisis. This 'exit' went with resources. It is concluded that if there is no return to the project with an ethical approach that is based on the 'common good' of all South Africans, the vacuum will be filled by threatening solutions from our angry youth which seem to threaten the 'rainbow' settlement of 1994. It is also argued that if the vacuum is allowed and a disaster hits us we only have ourselves to blame.

This is the time when we need highly ethical leadership or morally revolutionary leadership that will deal with this matter not from a narrow sectarian perspective but from a perspective that secures the 'common good' of all South Africans.

2011 PAST EVENTS

OCTOBER 2012

On the 22nd October 2011, Youth Fellowship,
Youth Forum and other Member Church Youth structures will be having an all night Spiritual Revival @ UPCSA St Peter's Duduza, Ekhurhuleni, in support of those affected by the recent tornado; non-perishables, blanckets, clothes etc will then be donated. Should you wish to contribute in any form, kindly contact the National Spokesperson of the SACC Youth Forum Mr Bongani Luvalo - 011 241 7832 / 072 087 5798

Please note that Rev Mautji Pataki, the SACC General Secretary will be on SABC 1, Asikhulume a live TV current affairs programme on Sunday, 16 October 2011 at 18h30.

SACC National Executive
24 October 2011 @ Khotso House

SACC "Choose to Live" Programme Workshop @ Booysens Hotel & Conference Centre,
24 – 26 October 2011

SACC Women Ecumenical Conference
16-18 October 2011
For more info please contact - Mrs Theresa Ramphomane: 083 722 8681

National Church Leaders’ Consultation
17th – 18th October 2011 @ OR Tambo International Airport

Ecumenical Water Network Global Forum
25-27 October 2011, Nairobi, Kenya

NOVEMBER 2011

18 November 2011

Rev Mautji Pataki, SACC General Secretary, keynote speaker at a Gala Dinner in Umlazi, Durban. Event organised by Men's Christian Guild of the Uniting Prebyterian Church SA. Theme: Church's Contribution in Socio-Economic Justice.

19 November 2011

Rev Mautji Pataki, delivering a keynote address at Sekhukhuni District of Limpopo Province, a community function organised by Fetakgomo Municipality to honour a retired Anglican Nursing Sister (73), Mrs Anna Hlapogadi Maila who served Ga-Nchabeleng Community Clinic for 36 years. Theme: Nursing Care as a GOD's Calling.

20 November 2011

1. Rev Mautji Pataki, preaching a sermon at Rev Abraham Maja's Annual Ecumenical Lecture. He will be sharing the stage with Dr Sydney Mufamadi.

2. The 2nd Annual Ecumenical Lecture in honour of Rev Abraham Maja
    The South African Council of Churches Limpopo is hosting the 2nd Annual Ecumenical lecture in honour of Rev Abraham Maja, this lecture will be addressed by the former    
    National Minister of Local Government Administration and Current Director of School of Leadership, Dr Sydney Mufamadi.

   Venue: Uniting Presbyterian Church. Polokwane Congregation. Zone 2, Mantuba Street, Seshego.
   Time: 09H00, starting with Church Service.

   RSVP Dikgoneng Langa - 071 694 5675 or Email: sacclimpopo@gmail.com on or before 19 November 2011.

DECEMBER 2011

SACC Youth Forum Conference
13-15 December 2011
For more info please contact - Mr Bongani Luvalo: 011 241 7808

Peace and Security in Africa: Role of Churches
10-16 December 2011, Kigali, Rwanda

REVEREND
FRANK CHIKANE

THE 7TH ANNUAL DESMOND TUTU PEACE LECTURE BY THE REVEREND FRANK CHIKANE DELIVERED ON THE 14 OCTOBER 2011 AT THE CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, BELVILLE CAMPUS, CAPE TOWN.

The Programme Director and Director of the Western Cape Provincial Council of Churches (WCPCC), Rev. Siyabulela Gidi; The Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Dr. Chris Nhlapo; Distinguished Guests; Comrades; Brothers and Sisters; and Ladies and Gentlemen:

I feel honoured to have been invited to deliver the 7th Annual Desmond Tutu Peace Lecture this year. In this regard I would like to thank the leadership of the Western Cape Council of Churches (WPCC) and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology for extending the invitation to me.

Let us start where we should and must. It is Mama Leah Tutu’s Birthday today and we wish her a Happy Birthday. Mama Leah and the Archbishop emeritus, Desmond Tutu, remain a great inspiration to me as they have been for many years. I am one of those who find it difficult to accept that they have retired as we will miss their prophetic voice. But I would like to suggest that we accept this reality and allow then to enjoy their retirement. The baton is now in our hands and we must run with it. Whatever challenges we are facing it is now our turn as the younger generation to take them on and play our part as well.   Read More...

REVEREND
MAUTJI PATAKI

The Experience of Indigenous Churches of the Public role in the new Political Dispensation

By: The Rev Mautji Pataki, SACC General Secretary
Presented at the University of Pretoria Theological Conference
10 November 2011

The Organizers of this Conference and the Rev. Dr Vuyani Vellem, Director of the Centre for Public Theology; Members of the Faculty of Theology, Professors and Other Theologians; Guests and Students; The Distinguished People of God

Thank you very much for the invitation that would allow me to say the things I am going to say with great anticipation that they will make a contribution towards the realization of the objectives of this Conference.

The organizers of this Conference have asked me to produce in particular some brief working notes on the public role to be played by the Indigenous community of churches within the new democratic dispensation as against their pre-liberation experience and then emerge with what could be the distinct signs and trends useful to strengthen the arm of these institutions post-liberation.   Read More...