Pretoria - Communications Minister Faith Muthambi has commended the Uniting Reformed Church (URC) for fostering social cohesion and its fearless contribution in the liberation struggle.
“The church was not only interested in redeeming people’s souls but was heavily involved in the liberation struggle as the Church Council acted as a guide during the 1980’s, in social welfare programmes to help the oppressed,” she said.
Minister Muthambi was addressing hundreds of congregants who were celebrating the church’s 60-year anniversary at Tshilidzini near Thohoyandou, in Limpopo, on Sunday.
“Political meetings were held in this church and this brings to mind Reverend Faure Louw, who during his term, the church was burnt down as others alleged that the reverend was helping the ‘terrorists’.”
Minister Muthambi also used the platform to recall how liberation struggle heroes were arrested after the church was burnt down and how Reverend Louw was given a seven-day marching order to leave the area by the former Venda Homeland government.
“We can see why it is such a deserving moment for the church to celebrate its 60th anniversary. It has been a pillar of support to the communities,” she said.
Women’s Month
The 60-year celebration of the Uniting Reformed Church coincides with the country’s celebration for Women‘s month.
The church has been extensively involved in social welfare activism; taking care of vulnerable children and orphans, training artisans from villages around Vhembe district and has been a force of positive change within these communities.
Many of the church-led projects were pioneered by women who were determined to improve their lives and of those around them.
“As the church celebrates its 60-year anniversary, it is fitting to use this opportunity to recognise women from this Church and the role they played in uplifting communities.
“Since 1994, we have moved towards the advancement of women empowerment and gender parity in this country."
Minister Muthambi said the URC has integrated communities, helped shape attitudes, and transformed themselves into institutions of the new South Africa.
She said the church reached out and bridged the divides between communities and speeded up the process of nation-building.
According to the Minister, the church like many others continue to play an important role in nation-building, influencing government policy and improving the lives of people in communities.
“Today, I’m here to acknowledge and applaud the efforts that the Uniting Reformed Church and its leaders for the positive role they are playing in our communities often taking the lead in social upliftment projects,” she said.
Fostering social cohesion
The church took it upon itself to encourage the youth to become interested in formal education and this was before the advent of forced removals by the apartheid regime to relocate Tsonga speaking people to the former Gazankulu homeland.
Minister Muthambi said the church had no tribal divides when dealing with the residents.
The church laid down a strong foundation of formal education and started recruiting youth from the local communities. It established the Tshilidzini Special School.
Tshilidzini Special School was built to assist the disabled, hearing impaired and cannot speak, visually impaired and others with physical deformities, while Khathutshelo School was established to help deal with individuals who were victims of leprosy.
Lepers who were healed, and yet could not be integrated within their respective communities where taught handicrafts while others became sculptors.
The Minister said the church is the conscience of the nation, adding that while praying lets teach each other to give arms to the poor and help build the nation.
Representing the church, Gideon Ramulifho said: “We want to commit that we will continue to foster social cohesion in the entire Vhembe District as a church. As requested by the Minister, we will continue to promote unity in the communities”. - SAnews.gov.za
