The practice of visiting various churches by political leaders over the Easter weekend has received mixed reactions, with some criticising parties for being opportunistic ahead of the May general elections.
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa addressed congregants at the Eagle Christian Church in Bloemfontein, while on Sunday EFF president Julius Malema and several Cabinet members joined thousands of congregants in attending the annual Easter pilgrimage to St Engenas Zion Christian Church (ZCC) in Moria, Limpopo.
St Engenas ZCC attracts huge crowds from all over the country and from neighbouring southern African countries for its Easter services.
Build One South Africa leader Mmusi Maimane, ACDP leader Reverend Kenneth Meshoe, and ActionSA’s Herman Mashaba were at the Grace Bible Church’s Easter celebrations at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Sunday.
In KwaZulu-Natal, ANC chairperson Siboniso Duma over the weekend visited the Apostolic Faith mission and Tower of Faith Ministries in Ntuzuma and Jesus Restoration Ministries in the Bluff.
The IFP’s premier candidate and provincial leader, Thami Ntuli, was at the Anglican church in Nkandla, while DA premier candidate and uMngeni Municipality mayor, Chris Pappas, delivered a Good Friday address at Cornerstone Ministries International in Chatsworth.
Ahead of the religious weekend, churches had said their doors were open to politicians but not for politicking or campaigning. They maintained that churches should hold politicians accountable for the state of politics in the country.
Professor Mark Swilling, from the School of Public Leadership at Stellenbosch University, described politicians who attend large religious gatherings ahead of elections as “opportunists”.
“They should not be allowed to go to churches in the months leading up to the elections ... it is divisive for the country, bad for churches and only for the benefit of the politicians.
“There should be a type of convention, from the date the election is announced, that political parties should not be invited or appear to be blessed.”
Swilling said politicians should instead focus on building a social compact with churches, mosques and temples “and not be opportunistic and then disappear”.
Kealeboga Maphunye, professor of African Politics at Unisa, said church congregants, adherents or members of different religious groups and persuasions, like other South African voters, also differ in their acceptance or rejection of the campaign messages of the various political parties.
“Some members of these churches or religious groups are members, prospective or potential voters whom the parties need to persuade to vote for them.
“For those who dislike these parties and their visits to their churches, especially closer to elections, the parties’ messages might be alienating, but for those who welcome their campaign messages, they might be persuaded to vote for these parties.”
Maphunye said parties may benefit significantly from the sectors of churches or religious groups who are “vacillating or undecided voters”.
“Granted, the visits by the parties to churches and religious groups might be viewed as being opportunistic given that they hardly ever visit such churches or religious organisations long after elections are finished. However, religious organisations are also potential voters and should not be excluded from campaigns by parties,” Maphunye said.
Political analyst Professor Bheki Mngomezulu said the images of politicians getting blessings from pastors “serves the interests of politicians’ egos”.
“They are not going to religious gatherings for religious reasons but they believe that if they have the support of the church, then they will have a better chance at the elections because of the large followings involved. They are often criticised because they only remember the church in times of elections but otherwise these organisations do not matter,” said Mngomezulu.
The Mercury