Durban — The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has said that it support of the undertaking made by provincial chairperson Siboniso Duma, in his capacity as the leader of Government Business, to champion the construction of a statue of the founder of Nazareth Baptist Church, Prophet Isaiah Mloyiswa Mdliwamafa Shembe.
The ANC made the commitment following the successful pilgrimage to Moses Mabhida Stadium, hosted by eThekwini Municipality, where thousands of Nazareth Baptist Church devotees held a prayer for the region and KZN, at large, last week.
The ANC said that it believed that Inkosi yamaNazareth aseBuhleni is a catalyst for social cohesion and unity of the people in the province. Therefore, the church pioneer deserves to be honoured as such.
The ANC provincial chairperson respectfully made this undertaking in response to Inkosi Unyazi LweZulu, who narrated a rich history illustrating the establishment of the Nazareth Baptist Church.
Inkosi yamaNazareth subsequently questioned why the government had not deemed it fit to construct a statue of its founder as part of the preservation and promotion of the church’s history.
Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa then offered to formally start the process on key aspects of this important national assignment of global importance.
Once all formal government processes and consultations with the Shembe Church have been finalised, a joint announcement on the construction of the statue will be made, the ANC affirmed.
ANC KZN spokesperson Mafika Mndebele said: “As we await the commencement of this historic important work, we are calling on the people of this province across all racial lines and political affiliations to build on the unity that was displayed during the prayer last week. The level of unity displayed must be the foundation upon which we must all build a common future together.
“Importantly, as the ANC, we understand that we still have a task of reaching out to all communities and working with them to embrace a common rich history and heritage of our province. No section of society must feel neglected or undermined by the government of the day,” Mndebele said.
He added that as a government, they must, therefore, identify those who made valuable contributions within the province over the years and embrace them as heroes and heroines who belong to a non-racial South Africa.
He said that they undertake to uncover and promote the province’s rich history in partnership with the broader civil society, including workers, academics, artists, and various religious and traditional leaders.
“Finally, we reiterate our call for the ANC-led government to foster a spirit of partnership between the leaders of different faiths and government departments,” Mndebele stressed.
He said that this arose from the ANC’s deep conviction that the leaders of the different faiths and religious organisations have a very strong contribution to make in the improvement of people’s lives.
Mndebele added that they had acknowledged that the ANC government would not alone satisfy the needs of the people without extending a hand of partnership to many other stakeholders in the broader civil society.
“Once again, we thank the Shembe Church devotees for shining the light and for being the beacon of hope demonstrated during the successful prayer at Moses Mabhida Stadium,” Mndebele ended.
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