Honourable House Chairperson,
The ACDP understands that this report is on the determination of remuneration. That said, the CRL Commission’s core mandate, as a Chapter 9 institution, is the promotion and protection of cultural, religious and linguistic rights in SA, including the respect for diversity.
It is unfortunate that under the leadership of Mrs Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, rather than protect and promote the church in the religious sector, she has attacked, harassed and threatened it. During her 2014-19 tenure, she attempted to legislate against the Church, through a Peer Review Council, to be overseen by the CRL itself.
This attempt failed, but since been reinstated as Chairperson of the CRL in 2025, she has renewed her attack on the Church, this time through a Section 22 Committee, established, irregularly, to assist the CRL to carry out its nefarious agenda to regulate against the Church. The High Court in Gauteng ruled that the CRL Commission cannot use the Section 22 Committee to create or enforce binding regulation over religious institutions. Mkhwanazi-Xaluva appears to have ignored this ruling, seemingly becoming a law unto herself.
This is not just an attack on the Church, but also our Constitution itself, in particular, Section 15 which guarantees the right to freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief and opinion.
Jesus declared that He will build His Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Any attempt by the State, to regulate the Church, will be met with a fierce, determined resistance by the ACDP. As Kingdom builders, we will contend for the Church. We can do no other.
The ACDP does not accept this report.
I thank you.
