While Grahamstown is known as the City of Saints, it's believed that some houses of God in the area are running unlawfully.
A article in The New Age newspaper recently reported that an illegal church was being privately run at the Grahamstown Infantry Battalion.
While Grahamstown is known as the City of Saints, it's believed that some houses of God in the area are running unlawfully.
A article in The New Age newspaper recently reported that an illegal church was being privately run at the Grahamstown Infantry Battalion.
The New Age online article of 19 March claimed that an unofficial church was operating without a chaplain, and that personal funds from soldiers were being used to fund the place of worship. Chaplains are specially ordained ministers who work in hospitals, prisons, military units and other public institutions, with legal permission to conduct religious services. Without a chaplain operating on the base, the church in question is not legally operating.
There are, however, two officially recognised chaplains who work at the base. Reverend Patrick Gxabe, one of the army base chaplains, confirmed that he was an active and legal chaplain but said he was unaware of the illegal church claims and disregarded them as rumours. He declined to comment any further, except for saying that the matter was now under investigation.
Grocott's Mail also spoke to two soldiers who requested to remain anonymous, but who also claimed that they were unaware of the alleged illegal church.
According to the South African Provincial Council of Churches, Christian religious organisations are not required to register with the government, as the Constitution enshrines the right to association, belief and religion. However, because churches deal with money, they are required to register as non-profit organisations or public benefit organisations.
“I can safely say that if a church is not registered in any of those ways, it is illegal,” said Reverend Mpumelelo Qwabaza, from the Eastern Cape Provincial Council of Churches. Churches are also required to have a treasurer and an audit to regulate donations, as well as submit tax forms every year.
It is not clear whether the church at the army base is registered or not because base officials remain tight-lipped. However, “a statement will be released once the investigation is over,” said the base’s officer commanding Colonel Altin Gysman.
