Johannesburg
The Zion Christian Church has described the recent abduction of two of its pastors, who were taken to initiation schools where one of them died, as a violation of human rights.
A leader of a 16-member delegation from the ZCC condemned the act yesterday after a meeting held with King Maisha III of Mpumalanga to discuss the abductions and the subsequent death of one of the pastors.
The meeting took place on Wednesday at the king's kraal in Weltevrede village over the kidnapping of pastors Michael Mokonyane (40) and Alwen Mabuza (55), both of Weltevrede, three weeks ago.
The church delegation, which included relatives of Mabuza who died while at an initiation school last Tuesday, was led by Reverend Emmanuel Motolla and the church's general secretary, Mr. Khitsane Kutoane.
Motolla expressed the church's opposition to rituals such as honouring ancestors, attending initiation schools and consulting traditional healers.
"Since we have a democratic Government, we strongly believe that the Constitution protects our rights as individuals and as an organisation," Motolla said.
He said as a church they would ensure that their rights were not violated and where they "are violated, we will take the necessary steps".
He said the church and the families had made statements to the police and "we are surprised that they are not taking any action".
"We are prepared to go to the national police commissioner to ensure that the matter is investigated thoroughly," he said.
The delegation also urged the king to ensure the safe return of the church's secretary, Mr. William Dlowu, who escaped the abductions and sought refuge at the church's head office at Moria.
Meanwhile, the king told Sowetan that the delegation from the church suspected the tribal authority of being behind the abductions that led to Mabuza's death.
"As a democratic tribal authority we do not condone such acts and we are still investigating what could have led to the abductions," he said.
Mabuza will be buried at the Einel Cemetery at 7am after a service at the family home in Vezubuhle.