The South African Council of Churches (SACC) on Wednesday said it would set up a COVID-19 task team to ensure that all churches filled under its control complied with the regulations.
As the religious gatherings resume next week. Churches filled with a joy.
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday announced that places of worship may reopen subject to strict restrictions under level three of the lockdown.
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Limited 50 people will be permitted to enter churches, temples, synagogues and mosques.
The council’s general-secretary bishop Malusi Mpumlwana said they had been working with various interfaith leaders to prepare and protect congregants from contracting the virus.
He said that this included rotating services and ensuring that face masks were worn and continued sanitation.
“We want to make sure that none of our churches can ever become gateways to the grave. So, the churches have then set up norms and standards to ensure that we go through every detail of these norms and standards, which we will be publishing in the next day or so.
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”But these have gone to churches to ensure there is COVID-19 readiness at each church.”
There are growing concerns on how churches will implement level three guidelines amid failure to regulate some religious organisations and the exploitation of people’s belief systems.
