wfn.org | (CPSA Synod) Top Anglican Cleric calls for Apartheid Tax

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@wfn.org>]

Anglican Church of the Province of Southern Africa

by Monica Laganparsad & SAPA
("The Natal Witness" -- 14 Jul 99)

A once-off reparations tax should be levied on people of a certain
income bracket to assist the victims of apartheid, the Archbishop
of Cape Town, the Most Reverend  Njongonkulu Ndungane, said in
Durban on Tuesday.

	Ndungane was speaking at the University of Natal at the 29th
session of Provincial Synod of the Church of the Province of
Southern Africa.

	The synod is the highest legislative body of the southern
African Anglican Church and meets every four years to amend
rules and regulations governing the church.

	About 250 representatives from Namibia, Mozambique,
Swaziland, Lesotho and the Island of St Helena are attending the
10-day synod.

	In a prepared speech, Ndungane said: "I wool like to propose to
the South African government that it levies, as soon as it is
possible, a once-off reparations tax on people of a certain income
bracket to be used for individual as well as communal forms of
reparations.

	"In particular we believe the priority should be to help the
elderly, the disabled, and families who have lost  their
breadwinners, and to provide for the education of children who have
lost parents.", he said.

	Ndungane said one of the major factors hindering development
in the southern African region was debt incurred by the former
apartheid government. This includes debt incurred by SA's
neighbouring countries who were at the receiving end of
destabilisation and war waged by the former government.
"These are odious debts and have to be cancelled outright", he
said.

	He also called for the cancellation of unpayable debts owed by
developing g countries to the international community.

	Transparent and verifiable measures should be implemented to
ensure funds released for debt relief were channelled towards
development projects.

	Elaborating on the conference theme "Journey to Wholeness",
Ndungane said one of the most worrying challenges facing the
church was violence against women.

	"Domestic violence, the denigration of women's bodies, the
denial of women's humanity are enormous challenges which, if not
addressed, will indicate gross neglect of our ministry:, Ndungane
said.

	Referring to SA's shocking rape statistics, Ndungane said rape
was a manifestation of unequal power relationships akin to other
forms of domination - such as militarism, racism, political
oppression and patriarchy. "We (the church) have endorsed
patriarchy, either explicitly or implicitly. We have failed to speak
out on the issue of violence against women.

"We cannot condone this situation any longer", Ndungane said.

	He expressed concern over statistics on HIV, the virus which
causes Aids. He said several initiatives had been implemented to
educate communities on the epidemic.

	"Perhaps above all else, the church has the duty to uphold the
Christian reaching on the gift of sexuality as finding its true
expression in marriage."

On the subject of homosexuality, Ndungane said: "While
recognising hat homosexual people worship in our church and
participate on our corporate life, no authority exists within the
organization for the blessing of same sex relationships, and this
should remain the case unless the church reaches a different
decision on the issue."

--Ends--

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Item submitted by the CPSA Provincial Synod Media Team
Synod meeting in Durban, Diocese of Natal, South Africa

Tel  +27 (31) 260 2445  --  Fax  +27 (31) 260 1633
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