President Cyril Ramaphosa told faith-based organisations at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on 17 June 2026 that South Africa should pursue self-regulation of religious bodies rather than direct state control. The remarks, made at a special meeting with faith leaders, have drawn support from groups that have long opposed statutory oversight of religion.
Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA) said in an op-ed published on 1 September 2026 that Ramaphosa’s position aligned with a principle the organisation has consistently advocated. FOR SA first published material on 28 November 2025 arguing that the religious community should itself develop a charter for self-regulation and a code of conduct.
President Ramaphosa’s recent remarks in support of self-regulation for the church restated a principle FOR SA has consistently argued for: Churches, not the State, should hold themselves and one another accountable,
FOR SA said the remarks confirmed that voluntary, church-led accountability should take precedence over a state-backed regulatory council. The organisation has been among the most vocal opponents of the CRL Rights Commission’s Section 22 process, which has produced a draft self-regulatory framework for the Christian sector.
The South African Council of Churches (SACC), a national body representing dozens of denominations across the country, has been engaging that same CRL process. The SACC’s engagement was first reported by IOL on 31 December 2025.
Rev Mzwandile Molo, SACC general secretary, told IOL that the council was approaching the process with care. “We are engaging with caution and openness,” he said.
The SACC and its member churches are engaging the process of the CRL with a commitment to find a solution that protects the constitutionally guaranteed rights of freedom of religion, conscience, freedom of assembly, etc., while ensuring that ordinary people are protected from abuse and exploitation.
The CRL Rights Commission’s draft framework has drawn criticism from some faith groups who argue it amounts to state regulation under another name. Parliament’s Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) committee has been actively engaging the issue and seeking legal advice before any legislation advances, according to FOR SA.
The dispute reflects a broader national tension between protecting congregants from exploitation in religious settings and preserving constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion. Churches across the Cape Flats and the wider Western Cape, many of which operate independently or under informal umbrella bodies, would be directly affected by any regulatory regime that emerges from this process.
Daily Voice published a report on 6 September 2026 about a church leader welcoming Ramaphosa’s position, but the identity of that individual and their specific remarks could not be independently verified from available sources. Cape Flats News journalist Nadia Adams confirmed the Ramaphosa meeting through the official government statement of 17 June 2026 and the FOR SA op-ed of 1 September 2026, both independently reviewed.
The Daily Voice report’s unnamed church leader and any direct quotes attributed to that individual remain unverified. Cape Flats News will check with the CRL Rights Commission and the COGTA committee by 20 September 2026 for updates on the next steps in the regulatory process.