Ahead of national elections in South Africa later this year, Catholic bishops have urged citizens to exercise their right to vote. “Nobody should remain at home,” they said.
In a statement on 8 February, the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC), representing bishops of South Africa, Botswana and Eswatini, decried the “ever-growing gap between those who have and have not, deteriorating infrastructure, rampant corruption on the part of self-serving citizens, and violence”.
They called for action to address worsening social problems, such as the long-running electricity crisis that has damaged South Africa’s economic performance, and warned that “the election and its results will determine whether the country will be placed on a different path from the current path of corruption and incompetence”.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC), in government since the first democratic elections in 1994, faces growing disaffection among voters, and opinion polls suggest that the party could lose its parliamentary majority.
The ANC is blamed for high unemployment, crime and a raft of grievances that have undermined President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Several high-profile members of the ANC, including former President Jacob Zuma, have formed or joined opposition parties, citing the party's inability to fix the country's problems.
“For the good of the country, vote according to your experience and your conscience, not according to unquestioning loyalty to one political party,” the bishops said.
“Pray that all forms of violence may be hindered by the responsible use of our democratic right to elect the persons of our choice. We thank God for the right to determine the outcome of the elections. We commend our beloved country to the care of Christ, the Good Shepherd, and Mary, our great Patroness.”
The bishops’ statement referred to the SACBC’s election resources, prepared by the Justice and Peace Commission and the Jesuit Institute of South Africa. They also encouraged voters to recite a proposed election prayer.
“As Catholic leaders, we call on all our fellow Catholics and all South Africans to keep working for a better future in our country. We must not give way to paralysing disillusionment and despair.”
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