Johnathan Paoli
Deputy President Calls For Continued Collaboration between Government and Inter-Faith Leadership
In his opening remarks at an engagement between Government and Inter-Faith Leaders at the Birchwood Hotel, Deputy President Paul Mashatile praised the historical partnership between leaders of both institutions, stretching back to the liberation struggle, and the central role this partnership has played in achieving social cohesion and nation building in the last 29 years.
Mashatile, supported by the departments of Social Development and Sport, Arts and Culture was talking at a session held in Boksburg with representatives from several religious and faith-based organisations to consider practical steps towards institutionalising and deepening their partnership with the government.
According to UNESCO, recognising the enduring nature of religious and sacred heritage, being able to safeguard its authenticity and integrity, including its unique spiritual importance, and promoting the understanding of our shared history, are the three essential elements for fostering mutual respect and dialogue among communities, Mashatile said.
In addition, Mashatile said the prioritisation of these aspirations as guided by the Constitution has anchored the nation and enabled strategic participation by faith-based organisations in an effort to respond to crisis moments such as at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, and in the response to GBV and Femicide.
And he insisted on the shared values between the leadership and government saying the same values, which are consistent with the founding values of our Constitution, namely those of human dignity, of the achievement of equality, of non-racialism and non-sexism.
This advancement of human rights exemplifies what it means to unite for a common goal and said that the members of both government and religious structures must continue to strengthen and pave the path of partnership in order to promote social cohesion and contribute to our nation-building project, Mashatile said.
“Reflecting on this history and also acknowledging the temporal disparities and distinct challenges of our current era, we must draw from the lessons of the past, and use them as a compass for addressing some of the social challenges that exist in our modern culture”.
Mashatile said South Africa currently faces several challenges including gender-based violence and femicide, poverty, unemployment, drug and substance abuse, child abuse, crime, corruption, teenage pregnancy, and the high rate of HIV infection among young people.
It is through these kinds of programmatic interventions, he said, where the faith-based community can partner with the government to make tangible contributions to addressing some of the social ills in our country, and remain foundational to the path forward.
Mashatile also called for a more effective institutionalization of the partnership in order for the renewal of society and the restoration of basic human values.
“As a nation, we must be concerned about the deterioration of our social and moral fabric. It is therefore important that our partnership be institutionalised in order to effectively address these issues”.
He said that in addition to renewal, a deepening of the partnership was expected from the engagement, which could usher in a new era of collaboration that is defined by action and responsibility.
“We must do all we can to ensure that our democracy remains steady and resilient, that those who come after us will continue to be able to rely on it, to take cover under its shade, and to enjoy its benefits and protection,” the deputy president said.
Mashatile concluded with a clarion call to forge ahead in the spirit of partnership and mutual understanding to realise a better country for generations to come.
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