Stop gambling with people’s lives, Ndlozi tells ACDP leader Meshoe

Economic Freedom Fighters MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has told African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) leader Kenneth Meshoe to stop gambling with people’s lives following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that small religious gatherings of no more than 50 people would be allowed when the country moves to Level 3 lockdown from tomorrow.

Ramaphosa’s announcement came after Meshoe, along with other religious leaders, called for churches to be declared an essential service.

Meshoe said at the time: “Government should recognise something that has been happening for decades. The fact is, some churches have been involved in education, feeding schemes and running hospitals. We are saying churches have been involved, even before we were born, in helping the poor, so that is an essential service.”

Also read: If we can’t go to church now, then don’t use churches for elections, ACDP leader tells ANC

But Ndlozi says the reopening of churches is gambling with people’s lives.

“Why Kenneth, would you go against ZCC, Nazareth, Methodist who say churches must be closed? What drives you to want churches to open even when the Covid-19 death toll and infections is on the rise?

“When the devil led Christ to temple pinnacle in Luke 4:9-12 and said to him ‘throw yourself, for scripture says angels will catch you’. Christ replied: ‘Scriptures also say, You must not test God.’ Your call to open church during Covid-19 is not different, it’s testing God, gambling,” Ndlozi said.

EFF leader Julius Malema has also pleaded with religious leaders to not open up their places of worship during Level 3 of the lockdown.

Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday where he was giving the EFF’s response to moving to Level 3 of the lockdown, Malema urged religious leaders to tell their church members and worshipers that they should stay away from church because “its a trap”.

In response, the ACDP called on all churches and religious organisations to take “full advantage” of the relaxation under level 3.

It said: “We wish to educate Mr Malema by stating that, first and foremost, the church as a Body consists of people as congregants. These congregants are economically active during the week and do not live in church but are members of society who pay taxes among other responsibilities of citizens.

“As this pandemic persists, churches are best placed to help communities as they are closest to them and can easily provide aid as well as spiritual counselling, which is much-needed in a time such as this.

“Mr Malema will be reminded that this democracy he enjoys today, which we all indeed enjoy, was won also largely through the efforts of the church who worked with politicians and other interested groups in liberating this country.”

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