Executive members and management unit

(Including representatives of task teams)

The NRASD is represented by leaders from various religious groups.  The executive members all believe in the importance and value of interfaith cooperation, to the advantage of society as a whole.

The executive members, management unit and task team representatives are:

	Chairperson Fr Richard Menatsi Catholic Church in South Africa, Qumbu
	Vice-chairperson Sheikh Achmat Sedick Vice-President, Muslim Judicial Council South Africa, Cape Town
	Executive secretary Dr Renier Koegelenberg EFSA Institute, Stellenbosch
	Management unit Sir Peter Just Nan Hua Buddhist Temple, Buddhist Community, Bronkhorstspruit
	Management unit Dr Welile Mazamisa Board Member, EFSA Institute, Stellenbosch NRASD Task Team Representative: Adult Basic Education and Training

Bishop Ivan Abrahams – Presiding Bishop, Methodist Church of Southern Africa and Co-Chairperson, National Religious Leaders' Forum, Bedfordview

Fr Vincent Brennan – General Secretary, Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference, Pretoria

Revd Linda Cibane – General Secretary, Ebuhleni Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe), Durban

Rabbi Ron Hendler – Union of Orthodox Synagogues, Johannesburg

Archbishop Dr Richard Magxwalisa – Archbishop, Jerusalem Church in South Africa, Port Elizabeth

Most Revd Thabo Makgoba – Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Church of the Province of Southern Africa, Cape Town

Revd Mashato Moshaba – General Secretary, Zionist Christian Church, Zion City Moria, Polokwane

President Nkosinathi Mthethwa – Rome St John’s Apostolic Church and President, Congress of South African Churches, Durban

Ms Shohreh Rawhani – Baha’i Community, Johannesburg

Revd Vasco Seleoane – Africa Enterprise, African Independent Churches, Durban

Dr Willie van der Merwe – Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa and NRASD Task Team Representative: Early Childhood Development, Pretoria

Pastor Dr Butisi Yakobi – Founder, Assemblies of God South Africa, Sterkspruit

Ms Shirley Moulder – NRASD Task Team Member: Early Childhood Development, Johannesburg

Revd Canon Desmond Lambrechts – NRASD Task Team Representative: HIV and AIDS, Stellenbosch

Advisory forums

The executive with management unit is supported by a number of advisory forums that guide the NRASD in negotiations with government to implement the Memorandum of Understanding with the religious sector.

These forums have also created an additional platform to build consensus on joint areas of action in creating a caring society.

We are excited about the commitment of esteemed senior religious leaders that make themselves available for these forums and consultations.

The NRASD Church Leader’s Forum

Coordinator: Fr Richard Menatsi, NRASD Chairperson and Catholic Church in South Africa, Qumbu

Core Group:

Bishop Ivan Abrahams, Presiding Bishop, Methodist Church of Southern Africa and Co-Chairperson, National Religious Leaders’ Forum, Bedfordview

Bishop Lunga ka Siboto, Presiding Bishop, Ethiopian Episcopal Church, Port Elizabeth

Most Revd Thabo Makgoba, Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Church of the Province of Southern Africa, Cape Town

His Eminence, Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Durban

Archbishop Buti Tlhagale, President, Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Johannesburg

Prof Piet Strauss, Moderator, Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa, Bloemfontein

Together they represent the most senior leadership of the “mainline churches”.  Additional forums with even a broader spectrum also include the following members:

Fr Vincent Brennan, General Secretary, Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference, Pretoria

Dr Isak Burger, President, Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa, Centurion

Revd Linda Cibane, General Secretary, Ebuhleni Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe), Durban

Revd Dr Prince Dibeela, General Secretary, United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, Brixton

Dr Kobus Gerber, General Secretary, Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa, Hatfield

Dr Braam Hanekom, Moderator, Synod of West and South Cape, Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa, Bellville

Dr Donald Katts, Moderator, Volkskerk van Afrika, Kraaifontein

Prof S T Kgatla, Moderator, Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa, Polokwane

Dr Japie La Poorta, Deputy President, Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa, Kuils River

Archbishop Dr Zandisile Magxwalisa, Archbishop, Jerusalem Church in South Africa, Port Elizabeth

Mr Eddie Makue, General Secretary, South African Council of Churches, Pretoria

Dr Sibusiso Masondo, Senior Pastor, The People of God Christian Ministries, Bellville

Dr Weli Mazamisa, Board Member, EFSA Institute, Stellenbosch

Pastor Ray McCauley, Founder and Senior Pastor, Rhema Ministries, Randburg

The Rt Revd Christopher Mkandawire, Moderator, Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, Livingstone (Zambia)

Mr Isaac Mohlaping, General Secretary, Evangelical Church in Southern Africa, Johannesburg

Revd Mashato Moshaba, General Secretary, Zionist Christian Church, Zion City Moria, Polokwane

Prof Elna Mouton, Board Member, EFSA Institute, Stellenbosch

Dr Jerry Pillay, General Secretary, Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, Braamfontein

Revd Dr Mary-Anne Plaatjies van Huffel, Vice Moderator, Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa, Robertson

Bishop Dr Joe Ramashapa, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa, Gaborone (Botswana)

Bishop Nils Rohwer, Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Africa (Cape), Cape Town

Major Barry Schwartz, Territorial Secretary for Programme, Salvation Army, Johannesburg

Revd Vusimusi Sigudla, Senior Pastor, Baptist Convention, Kimberley

Pastor Dr Butisi Yakobi, Founder, Assemblies of God South Africa, Sterkspruit

The NRASD African Independent Church Leaders’ Forum

Coordinator: Dr Welile Mazamisa, NRASD Management Unit and Board Member, EFSA Institute, Stellenbosch

This Forum includes members of the largest African Independent Churches, e.g.:

Zionist Christian Church (Star)

Zionist Christian Church (Dove)

Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe)

The Twelve Apostles

Limba Church

They represent the largest membership of all Christian churches in South Africa – especially the rural African population.  It is a major breakthrough to have these churches involved in our national process – they are increasingly organising themselves into new national forums for the African Independent Churches.

The National Religious Sector HIV and AIDS Directors’ Forum

(Also referred to as the Religious Sector HIV and AIDS Task Team)

Coordinator: Revd Canon Desmond Lambrechts, NRASD Task Team Representative: HIV and AIDS, Stellenbosch

This forum includes all the directors of the largest religious HIV and AIDS programmes in South Africa:

African Independent Churches, Anglican, Buddhist, Catholic, Hindu, Lutheran, Methodist, Moravian, Reformed, Muslim, etc.

Partners in making a difference

The story behind the NRLF

The NRLF arose from a national interfaith forum in 1997.  The forum was initiated by former president Nelson Mandela, who invited prominent national religious leaders to meet with him twice a year in order to exchange views on a broad range of issues.

Today, the NRLF has regular consultations with the president.

The partnership between the NRASD and the NRLF

The NRASD and the NRLF developed independently – partly through the different historical processes in their development but also regarding the leadership and institutions involved.

A formal agreement of cooperation between the NRASD and the NRLF was reached in 2003.  According to the agreement of cooperation, the NRASD would act as the development arm of the NRLF – as a body of equal stature to the NRLF.

The agreement highlights the conviction that South Africa needs an interfaith forum to work together and learn from one another.  Such a forum has to engage with the state and other role-players on policy issues from one platform as the religious sector that jointly face the serious social challenges that confront South Africa, such as poverty, and the HIV and AIDS pandemic.

To this end, interfaith cooperation are guided by the following principles:

• Accept one another as equal partners;
• Respect the diversity and denominational differences among us;
• Strive to cooperate with and learn from one another; and
• Be fair to one another – what we claim for our own denomination, we will also defend as the right of all other denominations.

The religious sector and development

According to the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) almost 80% of the people of South Africa trust their religious communities – the highest total of all institutions surveyed.

Religious communities have the largest developed networks spreading into all the corners of South Africa, and they offer more than just administrative programme support.  They are essential in the formation of values and value systems in broader society.

These findings underline the pivotal importance of the partnership and agreement of cooperation between the NRASD and the NRLF.

South African Government

On 10 May 2005, a formal Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the state and the NRLF.

Religious communities are committed to building a democratic, equitable, just and caring society with moral and honest citizens.  This will be achieved via partnerships between the religious sector, the state and civil society – with a commitment to shared values between partners.

The cooperation between the NRLF and the government is based on values and principles of respect and just behaviour – not only towards one another as partners, but also toward the society and people they serve:

To this end, cooperation between the NRLF and the state are guided by the following principles:

• The state acknowledges the unique contribution and role of the religious sector;
• The advancement of subsidiarity (formal cooperation between different sectors to ensure the effective utilisation of limited funding) and the importance of public/ private partnerships;
• Treating all religions equally on a provincial and national level;
• Making the procedures to access public funding simple, clear and transparent in order to foster equal access to public funding for all religions; and
• Replacing ad hoc grants to a select few with comprehensive and inclusive partnerships for all religions.

The rationale for formal cooperation

Many governments channel a substantial portion of their international aid over religious agencies.  There are several significant reasons for this.

1. Religious communities have proven to be closest to the people in need, even in remote rural areas.
2. Religious structures have the best developed networks, especially in areas where the infrastructure is weak.
3. They provide the most effective network at the most affordable cost.
4. The religious sector plays a crucial role in the formation of values such as love for other people, respect for life, responsibility and tolerance – the functioning of our whole society presupposes these values.

The religious sector can render services via formal (specialised, institutional) and informal (local neighbourhoods and community) structures in numerous areas with reference to:

• education (pre-school centres, schools, vocational training, literacy programmes);
• health care centres (disease prevention and treatment);
• food security and water provision programmes;
• social services to children, youth, the elderly, the physically and mentally-challenged, and families (providing access to multi-purpose centres and being granted access to homes where people can’t reach services);
• housing (housing projects for the poor and homeless);
• legal advice services (e.g. accessing identity documents to access social grants and further services);
• micro enterprises and income generating businesses;
• agriculture (capacity-building and management); and
• support for political refugees;
• amongst other services.

The advantages of formal and structured agreements of cooperation are:

• Formal agreements between the NRLF and the state make religious communities co-responsible for the implementation of poverty alleviation and other social programmes.  It also challenges religious communities to contribute some of their resources.
• Religious communities become partners in the process, not spectators.
• Such agreements ensure better coordination of scarce resources and the multiplication of resources whilst avoiding unnecessary duplication.  Structured partnerships enable the NRLF to use such agreements to negotiate additional (and international) funding for priorities that were agreed upon with government.

     "The government values the contribution and the role the religious sector has played in the past – the role that churches and the broad religious sector played in bringing education, medical services and support to neglected areas, as well as the struggle against apartheid.

     Now we face a new struggle: we can only succeed to eradicate poverty in our country if we can build effective partnerships between the state, the religious sector and other institutions of civil society.

     Apart from the large networks available to churches (and other religious networks) and the resources they have at their disposal, we also know that they play a crucial role in the formation of values and the moral fibre of our society.  As Department of Social Development we have launched a national campaign to create a caring society in South Africa.

     How can we succeed with this effort without the support of our religious communities, which are known for their networks reaching into even rural parts of South Africa?”

-Dr Zola Skweyiya

  Former Minister of Social Development (1999-2009)

  (cf letter addressed to the NRASD on 9 October 2000)