HLABE spoke about what happened in Kwa Maphumulo, where there is a tribe that calls itself the Disciples of Jesus who have given up everything in the country and have even thrown away AIDS medication, the Chairperson of the Commission for Religious Rights, Mrs Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva.
The issue of this nation is a hot topic as it has recently become public about the kind of life we are living.
Its leader, Reverend Vusumuzi Sibiya, revealed that the people present have left the pills because they trust God that he is the one who will heal them.
He recently revealed that they don’t have bad luck in hospitals, instead, people worship him until he throws a tantrum. Another thing he revealed is that there are people who have abandoned their jobs, businesses and their families.
Mrs Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said that it would be good if the Department of Community Development in KwaZulu-Natal could take up this matter immediately.
He said that the saddest thing is that in this situation the future of young children is also being taken into account. He stated that it is surprising that the school has been canceled with the students.
He stated that this is not an accepted religion in this country because it harms some people but they do not realize that they are being harmed.
”We are determined that something should be done about the situation there. That thing is totally unacceptable,” he said.
He lamented that there are people who have stopped taking antiretroviral drugs.
”The saddest thing is that people always listen when there is something that affects their religion. Here too we see that these people do everything because this is done using religion.”
He emphasized that a lot of work still needs to be done in South Africa, with the aim of directly dealing with situations of this kind. He said things are messed up in religion because there is no council responsible for all the bad things done using religion.
”Let’s pray that nothing bad happens to these people kept in that place. If something bad happens, that will be unacceptable.”
He said that it is very surprising for the elderly that what causes them to agree to give up everything and then accept so easily that they are kept in one place doing nothing but they are told to trust only Jesus.
”The bad thing is that something like this doesn’t work well most of the time. There will come a time when these people realize that there is nothing they are being told in this place where they are kept.”
He said that the various organizations in KwaZulu-Natal, it would be good if they came together and tackled this issue before things get too bad.
He also lamented that there have been people who were ordered to eat grass, because they follow religion.
“It’s sad to see people accepting everything that happens using religion.”
Although Mrs. Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said this, the leader of the area, Sibiya, said that they stand by what they are doing because they obey God who leads them. He said they are not panicking and not afraid no matter how many people accuse them of this. He pointed out that they will not worry too much about people who are not exposed to the truth of knowing God who has the power to conquer everything.