Johannesburg - President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed 13 new rights commissioners who will serve for the next five years.
In a statement on Friday Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA) said as part of the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL), the commissioners will be led for the next five years by newly appointed Chairperson, Professor Luka David Mosoma.
Prof Mosoma served as deputy chairperson in the previous term. He will be assisted by Dr Sylvia Mmamohapi Pheto, the new CRL deputy chairperson.
Five other commissioners have been re-appointed for another term, namely Sheila Kama, Sicelo Dlamini, Nomalanga Tyamzashe, Adv Richard Botha and Renier Schoeman.
The other six commissioners are new appointments. They include Tsholofelo Mosala, Dr Oscarine Nokuzolo Mndende, Ramokone Trypina Kgatla, Dr Muneer Abduroaf, Prof Pitika Ntuli, and Mandla Langa.
Commenting on the development, Michael Swain, executive director of FOR SA said his organisation "welcomes the appointment of the new commissioners and is committed to working with the commission to ensure that the religious rights of all persons in South Africa (including religious practitioners and their congregants), are protected and promoted.”
Swain added: “In a time where globally there is a serious erosion of religious freedom in multiple areas, the CRL has a critical role to play in creating an environment wherein religious communities can flourish, and religious believers can give expression to their deepest convictions and beliefs within the rule of law.
"As such, the commission’s role should be not to control, but to enable and enhance believers’ exercising of their religious rights.”