Building a more just South Africa

Neville Gabriel, Justice and Peace Co-ordinator in South Africa with cows (!) during CAFOD's campaign 'Stop dumping on the poor'. [Kate Stanworth]

The Catholic church in South Africa played an important role in challenging apartheid. Now they face the challenge of raising the voice of the poor within the decision-making circles of the South African government.

Neville Gabriel of the South African Catholic Bishop's Conference says that the worldwide church has a crucial role in supporting their ongoing struggle for a more just South Africa.

Neville Gabriel is the Co-ordinator of the Justice and Peace desk at the South African Catholic Bishop's Conference.

The Justice and Peace desk co-ordinate programmes working on 12 key issues including gender equity, land reform, economic and environmental justice.

They promote these issues within the church and publicly with government and other civil society organisations.

It is ten years since elections marked the end of apartheid. How did it feel to vote in 1994 elections?

It was an amazing day of celebration, as you can imagine. There was a real sense of being freed, a sense of great hope and energy to build a new society.

I also remember feeling relieved that the dangers of the military reacting badly didn't happen. That we managed a peaceful transition to democracy made us feel proud.

So what did it feel like to vote this time?

It felt much more like a matter of routine. In 1994 we were voting for a new country and an end to apartheid. This time we were voting on the issues facing South Africa.

I was aware that much of society had changed in the preceding ten years. We had lots to be pleased about….

What kind of things?

Well, we have a relatively peaceful society, political violence has drastically decreased and we have a working democratic system.

Especially when we compare this to the situation in some neighbouring countries, like Zimbabwe, we have a lot to be proud of.

What role has the Catholic church played in South Africa?

The Bishop's conference played a strong role in the anti-apartheid movement, particularly under the leadership of Archbishop Denis Hurley.

That didn't mean the church was not affected by apartheid. You can still see its legacy today. Parish boundaries are very much fixed by apartheid geographical boundaries, which leads to churches in many areas dividing along racial lines.

With the end of apartheid, it took a little while for the church and civil society as a whole to find its feet in the new social and political context.

But the last few years has seen the church play a new active role in fighting for justice, particularly in the area of tackling the huge levels of poverty and inequality that exist in South Africa.

What are the key issues facing South Africa?

The end of the apartheid political system still left a hugely divided country – a system of economic apartheid.

Today around 40% of South Africans are unemployed. In some communities, unemployment is as high as 80%.

We are very conscious of the need to raise the voice of the poor in the area of government decision-making.

The woman working at her sewing machine is part of a tailor's cooperative supported by Diakonia Council of Churches in Durban. [Pieternella Pieterse]

Can you give an example of what the church is doing?

Well, recently the church has been calling for a national basic income grant to address the huge amount of poverty in South Africa.

As a result, the government recently increased the child support grant and have acknowledged our campaign for a universal basic income grant.

We have also been working with local communities, encouraging them to become more engaged with local government.

Local governments should work in a participatory way with communities but don’t always do so. We encourage community involvement so that budgets and services can be made to benefit poor communities.

What can the international community do to support the struggle against economic apartheid?

One of the key issues we continually raise is apartheid debt. That is to say, debts inherited from the apartheid government that our elected government had to repay.

It has effectively now been paid, but at what social cost? One of the main costs was 40% unemployment.

We must also talk about trade issues. I am not just talking about the unjust international trading system that hurts our country but also the need for South Africa to trade fairly with its neighbours.

Perhaps most importantly, we need together to challenge the notion that inequality is good for economic growth. This is a belief that the poor can be sacrificed for a healthy economy. That it is acceptable that poverty can increase as long as the economy is strong. But this means sacrificing the interests of sometimes 50% of the population.

The poor are not dispensable; we can never sacrifice them.

And are there particular lessons for the global church?

I think the church has a very strong tradition on social ethics and social development. Very often this has focused on practical assistance and projects to help people.

I think the big challenge is to translate that knowledge and experience into policy formulation, and to bring that experience into the national and international policy arena.

In a globalised world, the church as a global body also has a very significant role in highlighting the global impact of political and economic policies.

For example, CAFOD and the South African Catholic Bishop's Conference work with two communities in different parts of the world, but through their long-term partnership are able to develop shared positions based on principles of Catholic Social Teaching – the common good, solidarity, preferential option for the poor.

Making connections on refugees

One example that struck me when I was in the UK recently was seeing the huge fuss about refugees in the press. I think by sharing our experience, you can learn that the movement of peoples is not because people want to come and steal jobs from people in the UK. It is by design.

It is a result of an unequal world and policies made by governments. And it has negative consequences for our communities here in South Africa where we are seeing large drainage of people with key skills.

In South Africa, I feel the church needs to tackle the issue of work. We can see we won't have full employment, not because it is impossible but because of government policies. What will this mean for those without work, for their families and their communities?

The church must address this and do this by forging links with Trade Unions as well as other faith communities and civil society organisations.

take action

Advent Appeal 2008 Send YOUR Advent message of support to kids at a special school run by a CAFOD partner - you really will make a difference to many children's lives this Christmas

Shine a light in the darkness Please sign our petition calling on the world's largest mining company to listen to communities in the Philippines worried about the effect mining will have on their land - plus send a personal message of solidarity to the people of Macambol

Buy a World Gift Browse our new range of alternative gifts that act as two presents in one – something for you to give to friends or a relative, while the real gift changes the life of someone living in poverty