South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa says government should act to curb “bogus pastors” but has ruled out regulating churches because it would cause a “backlash”.
His remarks on the campaign trail in Cape Town are in response to self-styled prophet Alph Lukau’s recent claims to have resurrected a dead man. A viral video of the spectacle has triggered national debate as well as widespread ridicule on social media with the #ResurrectionChallenge hashtag.
President Ramaphosa said on Wednesday evening:
Quote Message: Those who are doing things that are completely shocking, of trying to hoodwink the whole nation and saying that someone has been raised from the dead, it is actually bringing the name of the Lord – of God – and of churches into disrepute.
Quote Message: We do not want to interfere with people’s religious beliefs, but we should have a conversation about how we deal with these bogus pastors.”
