Religion in Government, Parliament and the Courts of South Africa

Religion in Government, Parliament and the Courts of South Africa

http://mg.co.za/article/2012-03-16-judges-cannot-bow-to-religion

Currently in the South Africa Christianity makes about 79.8% of the religion of choice for the country’s population. While 15% of the population has no religion and 1.5% of the population belonging to Islam and Hinduism totaling 1.2%, we can deduce from the above statistics (http://www.southafrica.info/about/facts.htm) that Religion is alive and a huge part of the average South African. The question at hand is weather religion has a place in the affairs of the state or in the law system of the country.

South Africa is a democratic state with its constitution being religiously tolerant and inclusive of all different religious believes practiced in the country. The statement above does not in any way state which form of religion is used to represent the country unlike in Sudan were the country will be Africa’s first Theocratic state (A government ruled by or subject to religious authority). (http://godictionary.co.za/theocracy-definition).

In a speech address to Khartoum students, President Omar Al Bashir said “Ninety-eight percent of the people are Muslims and the new constitution will reflect this. The official religion will be Islam and Islamic law the main source (of the constitution). We call it a Muslim state.” (http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2011-10-14-sudan-to-become-africas-first-theocracy)

Do South African Courts, Parliament and Government reflect a “Christian state”? This would be an honest assumption by any individual who believes in the principles that govern democratic practices in terms of “the majority being the overall rulers” as the country’s majority is Christian, or is the country a religiously neutral state. Leaving in such a culturally an religiously diverse country the president of south Africa Jacob Zuma even though he may hold his own religious believes, he has to represent the state and uphold all religious beliefs of the country equally and form a relationship with religious sectors. (http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/pebble.asp?relid=5519).

A recent article in the mail and guardian newspaper by Brent Meersman, a political novelist and a writer for the newspaper since 2003; Brent Meersman is misguided in his quest to revel the consequences of mixing religion and state affairs and furthermore he has controversial solutions such as the removal of Christmas and Easter as public holidays.it comes as no surprise that he would be labeled an atheist by some of the people who commented on his blog about the subject. (http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/brentmeersman/2012/03/19/please-no-god-not-in-our-courts-not-in-parliament-not-in-government/comment-page-1/#comments). I totally disagree with his views on the matter. Though when it comes to the topic of just how impartial are Christian Judges, I have to agree it is a questionable and fair curiosity of the truth about how the law system operate. South African government, Parliament and Courts are all about upholding the rights of freedom of religious expression and believe as stated in the Bill of Rights. Even though some of the high officials put in place to safe guide these rights serve the country from their own individual religious backgrounds, their mandate is to cater and treat every religion equal respect. The South Africa government has shown a great working relationship between the state and all other religions and I will continue to do so.