Protect Religious Freedom — Remove the CRL Chairperson Now!

Our constitutional right to worship freely is under attack. The Chairperson of the CRL Rights Commission, Ms. Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, has mocked Christian beliefs, pushed for unconstitutional state control over churches, and misled Parliament about her powers. She is using her position to undermine the very freedoms the CRL is meant to protect. We call on Parliament to suspend her immediately, investigate her conduct, and protect the rights of all faith communities before more damage is done.

We, the South African Church Defenders (SACD), believe Ms. Mkhwanazi-Xaluva has undermined religious freedom and breached her constitutional duties by:

• Mocking Christian beliefs in public, e.g. saying that anyone who says they hear from God should be taken to a psychiatric ward.
• Promoting unconstitutional state control over churches and pastors.
• Misleading Parliament about the CRL’s powers.
• Proposing “licensing” of pastors, allowing the state to approve or revoke ministries.
• Pushing national monitoring of religious leaders, far beyond CRL’s mandate.

These actions violate:
Section 15 (Freedom of Religion)
Section 18 (Freedom of Association)
Section 22 (Freedom of Profession)
Section 31 (Rights of Religious Communities)

We demand:
 1. Immediate suspension of Ms. Mkhwanazi-Xaluva pending                           investigation, to protect public trust and prevent interference in evidence.
 2. Formal removal proceedings under Section 17 of the CRL Act for             misconduct and abuse of public trust.
 3. Independent, transparent inquiry into her statements, proposals, and treatment of religious communities, with full findings made public.
 4. Public apology from the CRL to affected religious communities, especially Christians.
 5. Parliamentary reaffirmation that the CRL cannot regulate, license, or control spiritual governance — only protect rights and freedoms.

South Africans fought for these freedoms. Parliament must act now to protect them. Failure to do so will erode public trust, weaken democracy, and embolden further abuse of power.