Despite the fall of apartheid in 1994 and the reconciliatory tone set by the country’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, the demon of racism is very much alive here.
One of the themes that emerged from A.N.C. conference was party renewal. Father Mkhatshwa is skeptical. He says that the A.N.C. is redeemable, but “they need new people to do it.”
The Economic Freedom Fighters party say it will not respect an “illegitimate president” after Mr. Zuma was found to have violated his office by the country’s highest court in 2016.
The bishops said they were deeply concerned that a South African withdrawal will “influence and encourage other African countries to leave the court en masse.”
The vice chancellor had to be escorted out of the church, over the sanctuary and through the back entrance, protected by clergy, peace monitors and organizers of the meeting.