South Africa witnessed two major campaigns in October and November. Tens of thousands of students protested against a rise in student fees, ‘Fees must fall’, and the Anglican Archbishop, Thabo Makoba, and the Director of the Evangelical Alliance of South Africa, the Revd Moss Ntlha, led an anti-corruption march of 6000 people.
These protests against the government by churches which had supported the anti-apartheid struggle marks an important step in the development of South Africa since freedom from apartheid came in 1994.
‘Stay out of politics’
Mr Nthla wrote in the Mail & Guardian on 21 November ‘This weekend President Jacob Zuma stirred up bad memories by suggesting that the church should stay out of politics and stick to prayer’. His rhetoric sounded perilously close to PW Botha telling Tutu and the SACC to stay out of politics in the 80s!
