06 Apr 2026

The church has a role in drawing up a moral code for the society in the wake of moral decay, murders and gender-based violence amongst other societal challenges.

And therefore, the church should strive to build a peaceful nation living together in harmony, said Minister of Local government and Traditional Affairs, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa.

Speaking during the official opening of Eloyi Christian Church’s (ECC) Easter commemorations, Minister Motshegwa rallied churches to play a significant role in ensuring that society’s moral fiber remained intact and admirable.

Amongst other things, Motshegwa said, the church should be involved in humanitarian efforts.

He therefore challenged the ECC leadership to consider, inter alia, play a visible role in education in multiple ways like building a school or hosting educational programme in the church.

He said organised churches like ECC had the ability to discharge their role in nation building, adding that the success of any organisation rested on leadership and organisational structure.

For the church to fully discharge its role, Minister Motshegwa said government would continually assist the church in securing plots to  establish house of worship.

In fact, the minister promised to support ECC in their quest to be allocated a plot for expansion, from their current location which was reportedly too small to accommodate the bulging numbers of the church’s membership.

He said government believed in the role of the church in the lives of the people and in governance, hence it was easy for the government to scrape of some requirements in the registrar of societies that hampered their registration.

For his part, Member of Parliament for Bobirwa, Taolo Lucas called on government to consider a special dispensation for allocation of civic plots to churches.

He said some churches, especially African Churches, felt stretched to follow the exhausting process of securing plots.

 Lucas also called for African churches to be exempted from paying lease agreements, arguing that such churches were not profit making entities to necessitate them to pay such a fee.

While applauding government for backtracking on requiring pastors to hold Diploma certificates,  Lucas called on church members to be exemplary and lead lives laden with love.

He said that while praying against social ills, members should not be party to issues like gender-based violence.

“Pray for the leaders to focus on your interest rather than theirs, and also pray that they do not get tempted to dip from the public coffers for their own benefit,” said the Bobirwa legislator.

Commenting on the Moitshephi Funeral Cover for the church members, as introduced by the ECC’s supreme leader, His Holiness Dr Sekai Jakoba, Lucas warned against fighting for insurance money meant for their burials.

“Your numbers are mouthwatering to any insurer… run this insurance with openness and diligence,” said Lucas. ENDS