BY BAKANG MOKOTO

NORTH West Provincial Government spokesperson, Brian Setswambung lambasted those who allege that Premier Supra Mahumampelo want to control National Interfaith Council of South Africa (NICSA) structure in the province. This came up after a three day NICSA’s fourth annual provincial conference that was supposed to take place at Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre was called off on Tuesday.

Leadership from various churches were seen stranded at Taung Hotel School and Convention Centre after unpaid accommodation. The NICSA leadership claimed that North West Provincial Government office was supposed to book for them. However, provincial government spokesperson, Brian Setswambung refuted the claims.

Setswambung said NICSA provincial leadership requested the Office of the Premier to fund the conference.  However, he further said the NICSA representatives sent a ‘letter of request’ to the office of Reconciliation, Healing and Renewal (RHR) director, Tebogo Ramashilabele late.

“Ramashilabele received a letter on the 18^th of September 2017. The letter from NICSA requested a sponsorship for a conference that was supposed to start on the 19^th of September 2017.

“Unfortunately government does not work in that manner as there was virtually no time available to consider the request. Therefore, it must be clear that there was no partnership on the supposed conference. There was also neither commitment nor agreement to sponsor it,” Setswambung said.
NICSA provincial treasurer, Adam Mohammed said people who promised them to sponsor the conference disappointed them. Mohammed further said it was useless to cry over spilled milk.

“We need to look for other ventures and revenues for future purposes. NICSA is not affiliated to the North West Premier, Supra Mahumapelo. The idea was proposed by President, Jacob Zuma back in 2009. Zuma appealed to all religious leaders to form a structure that will assist government to deliver services to the grassroots.

“NICSA is a Section 21 Company consisting of all faith based organisations in South Africa. Our vision is to take an inter-faith approach to building a new society with new moral values and attitudes. Therefore, we aim to strengthen, restore and re-build the integrity of the family and human values through interfaith dialogue and cooperation, as well as other interventions aimed at promoting national social cohesion and prosperity,” he said.

Mohammed further said the structure promotes moral regeneration for social development rather than moral regeneration for its own sake. He added that they need to ask themselves to what extent the moral values contribute to social development and a cohesive civic community.

“South Africa has emerged from its violent, racial, unequal apartheid past and has not addressed these issues in a systematic manner. The consequences of our past are dehumanisation, the loss of identity, African spirituality, and human dignity; landlessness, poverty and unemployment.

“Colonialism uprooted African people from their cultural and traditional moral value systems and they were socialised into Eurocentric and Judeo Christian value systems which essentially undermined and distorted the Ubuntu principles that shaped the moral character of the African community. The resultant anger of the violent apartheid past lingers in the sub-conscience of the majority of the African people,” he said.

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