Churches Reject South African Referendum Plan. Could Lead to "Unrest and Violent Conflict."
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/official3196
- Date
- 1983 September 27
- Source
- Anglican News Service
- Type
- Press Release
- Text of motion
- Toronto, Sep. 27, 1983 -- For immediate release
- The Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, has joined Methodist and Roman Catholic leaders in a strong denouncement of the South African government's plan to amend the country's constitution. This means that the leaders of the three largest multi-racial churches in South Africa have rejected the plan to hold a referendum to vote on the creation of separate houses of parliament for whites, coloureds and Indians. Under the plan blacks would continue to have no share in the legislative process whatsoever. Only whites will vote if the referendum is held.
- The Archbishop, the Most Rev. Philip Russell, in an interview with Seek, Southern Africa's Anglican newspaper said, "Christians should make their votes as members of a family, eight-tenths of whom are being excluded from this referendum." He approved a Diocesan Council statement which declared, "South Africa is one country, one people. The country belongs to all who live in it and those who will come after them." The Council resolved to "reject and resist" the constitutional plan which would "lead to greater separation and division" of South Africans.
- A few days ago the President of the Methodist Church, the Rev. Khoza Mgojo announced that his Church would called for a vote to reject the plan, as, "its implementation will lead to further polarization, unrest and violent conflict."
- Meanwhile the Southern Africa Catholic Bishops have released the text of a pastoral letter to be read in all parish churches this Sunday. It describes the plan as "a serious moral failure" and states, "we cannot accept a constitution that prevents people from crossing racial barriers and working together for unity."
- In an unprecedented move, the Methodist and Anglican monthly newspapers in South Africa are publishing a joint editorial in their October issue. In it they will call for the rejection of the plan which, they argue, will entrench apartheid laws, removing "the potential which exists in the present constitution for a future government to extend meaningful franchise and full citizenship to all South Africans."
- Archbishop Russell says his Church will continue to press for a national convention of leaders to decide the country's future. "This is the most sensible and peaceable way to bring about change," the Primate said. Dr. Mgojo has repeated his Church's similar call for a national convention "representing all South Africans."
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- Richard J. Berryman
- Media Officer
- Subjects
- South Africa - Politics and government - 1978-1989
- Apartheid - South Africa
- Apartheid - Religious aspects - Church of the Province of Southern Africa
- Russell, Philip (Philip Welsford Richmond), 1919-2013
- Apartheid - Religious aspects - Catholic Church
- Apartheid - Religious aspects - Methodist Church
- Mgojo, Khoza
- Racism - Religious aspects - Christianity