7 September 2026- Social Development Minister Dina Pule has called on churches and faith-based organisations to continue playing a leading role in building resilient communities and supporting South Africa’s most vulnerable people.

Pule said church leaders had played a critical role during South Africa’s transition to democracy, helping to foster reconciliation, peace-building and nation-building at a pivotal moment in the country’s history.

“At a critical moment in our history, churches and faith-based organisations came together with community structures and political leaders to promote reconciliation, peacebuilding and nation-building,” Pule said.

The Minister was speaking on behalf of Deputy President Paul Mashatile at the Church Leaders Gathering in Unity (CLGU) at the Future Africa Campus of the University of Pretoria in Gauteng on Saturday.

She said churches had helped facilitate dialogue, healing and social cohesion, while faith-based organisations had worked alongside healthcare workers and government departments to provide care, counselling, awareness programmes and support services to individuals and families.

Pule said this spirit of collaboration remains essential, as South Africa confronts persistent social challenges.

She urged faith communities to remain partners in reaching vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations, reducing stigma and strengthening prevention and treatment efforts in communities.

She pointed to the ongoing contribution of churches and faith-based organisations in tackling poverty and supporting vulnerable households.

“Through partnerships with the Department of Social Development and other government institutions, many churches have operated feeding schemes, community outreach programmes, shelters, substance-abuse interventions and support services for children, older individuals and people living with disabilities.”

However, Pule acknowledged that much more needs to be done to improve the living conditions of South Africans.

“Regardless of the past successful collaboration, much still needs to be done to improve the living condition of our people. South Africa continues to navigate a complex social and economic landscape.” 

The Minister said poverty, unemployment, inequality, gender-based violence, substance abuse, crime and the erosion of moral values continue to place pressure on communities.

“These challenges require more than government intervention alone; they require a united society, anchored in compassion, ethical leadership and active citizenship.”

Pule called for all sectors of society to work together to build resilient communities and restore hope where there is despair.

Drawing on the Christian teaching of “loving one’s neighbour”, Pule urged communities to support people struggling with alcohol and drug abuse.

She also called for stronger action against those who engage in harmful activities in communities, saying no one should be above accountability, including those who occupy positions of religious leadership.

At the same time, Pule said addressing unemployment requires a collective effort to create opportunities, support skills development and encourage entrepreneurship.

“The Church, together with all sectors of society, has a responsibility to teach about the consequences of violence and the importance of respecting one another,” she said.

Pule also reflected on a recent Spring Day celebration that resulted in the death of a young man, describing it as a painful reminder of the need for greater responsibility in communities.

“I must state this clearly: No one deserves to die at the hands of another person, regardless of the circumstances. Equally, no one should take the law into their own hands.”

She said the Church has an important role to play in reinforcing the message that violence is never an acceptable response to conflict.

“The Church must continue to proclaim that violence is never an acceptable response to conflict and that every person is created with inherent dignity and deserves to be treated with respect,” the Minister said. 

The gathering took place as South Africa continues to commemorate 30 Years of the Constitution this year. – SAnews.gov.za

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