Note: The headline of this article has been edited to more accurately reflect the focus of the article. The first version carried the term "Anti-Christian" instead of "Anti-church" as is reflected in the article.
It seems that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s failure to accede to requests from church leaders to allow small gatherings is the last straw for some, who say that, if forced, congregants will ignore the government and gather for praise and worship anyway.
During an address to the nation on Sunday evening, Ramaphosa said the whole country would move Level 3 of the lockdown on 1 June, which would see the resumption of numerous sectors of the economy. He also confirmed that the sale of alcohol for home consumption would be permitted and that schools would be reopened.
READ | Inside Ramaphosa’s meeting with opposition party leaders
While he said large gatherings would remain prohibited, up to 50 people would be allowed to meet for business purposes or funerals.
This has outraged some political parties and religious leaders, including the African Christian Democractic Party's Kenneth Meshoe and Al-Jama’s Mogamad Hendricks.
When he previously spoke to News24, Meshoe described the prohibition of religious gatherings, which he was hoping would change, as "ridiculous", "unfair" and "senseless".
"There’s an anti-church attitude developing in South Africa and that is very concerning to me," said Meshoe.
'They are saying churches are irelevant'
He said he was disappointed that Ramaphosa had ignored the many submissions from the faith-based community.
"It’s like they think children are wiser than their parents."
He questioned why the government felt it was okay for children to return to their classrooms, with safety protocols in place, but that the parents of these children couldn't attend church.
Meshoe also hit out at the governing party, saying it had a long track record of using churches to campaign during the elections.
READ | The impact of Covid-19 school closures on education in SA
"If they are saying churches are irrelevant now, then the ANC must treat churches that way during the elections… they must be irrelevant then too," said the ACDP leader.
He said those who criticised his remarks - and drew on an example from South Korea, where one person infected numerous others at a church gathering - failed to take a number of factors into consideration, including that health protocols such as physical distancing and sanitisers had not been in place.
Meshoe contracted Covid-19 at a religious gathering in Bloemfontein.
Making reference to the Bible, he said that when people were forced to choose between God and government, they would always opt for the former.
He also claimed to know of churches in the Vaal area which were gathering in spite of the regulations, and insisted that people should not be forced to disobey regulations that stopped them from gathering to worship.
Meshoe's disappointment was echoed by Hendricks, who told News24 that Al-Jama disagreed "very strongly" with Ramaphosa’s position.
Hendricks said it was unfair that people could gather for funerals, and for bosses to meet with staffers, but that the religious sector was left out.
"He trusts bosses more than he does religious leaders and they have been transgressing regulations left right and centre," he complained.
Hendricks said that even US President Donald Trump regarded churches as an essential service.
Regulation unhappiness over Eid
The Al-Jama head said he was particularly annoyed that the regulations were not amended in time to allow the Muslim community to mark Eid on Monday.
"Africa has a large Muslim community. What are they going to think of him when this happens?" he asked.
He said, while he had attempted to make a case for a relaxation around Eid - to both the president and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma - he had been told that it would be unfair, as Christians had also not been allowed to gather during Easter.
"But that was lockdown Level 5, this is Level 4," said Hendricks.
Gathering
He told News24 that the president had "left the door open", which he would use to try and get church gatherings included under Level 3, but said he would adhere to the president's decisions.
At odds with the views held by Meshoe and Hendricks is the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, which says it understands the government's decision on the matter was not an easy one.
Its national president Mary Kluk told News24 that religious leaders, in a meeting with the president last week, had committed to adhering to the regulations.
READ MORE | Ramaphosa lobbied to open places of worship
"We all have to be mindful that these mini-outbreaks emanated from religious gatherings," said Kluk.
Citing Germany's Covid-19 outbreak as an example, she said it happened in spite of regulations being adhered to.
More than 40 people who attended a service, after the country’s lockdown was eased, were infected by one congregant. Physical distancing had been adhered to and the church had been disinfected ahead of the service.
She said, while they wanted the return of religious gatherings, they felt more comfortable giving Ramaphosa space to guide when and how that should be done.
