MBABANE – Church congregants have been urged to stop defending pastors accused of sexually abusing children and allow the law to take its course.
The call comes after the Swatini Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA) recorded eight cases involving pastors accused of sexual offences against children and youth aged between zero and 24 over the past five months.
According to SWAGAA, two of the cases involve alleged sexual harassment while six involve alleged sexual assault.
The organisation further recorded 61 cases of sexual assault involving various perpetrators during the same period.
SWAGAA Director Nonhlanhla Dlamini said the organisation continued to receive reports involving children allegedly being sexually abused by religious leaders.
She said one of the biggest challenges encountered when such cases emerge is that church members often rally behind accused pastors and attempt to discredit allegations made by children and their families.
Dlamini said congregants frequently insist that a pastor or ‘man of God’ could never commit such offences, even when evidence points to the contrary.
She said this often discourages survivors from reporting abuse and sometimes undermines investigations.
“Adults must believe children when they report sexual abuse. We should not rush to protect people in positions of authority simply because they are respected in society,” she said.
Dlamini said anyone accused of a criminal offence should answer the allegations before the courts rather than relying on the support of church members.
She stressed that sexual abuse does not discriminate and can be committed by anyone, including religious leaders.
“Congregants should stop blocking investigations and allow trained police officers to do their work. The courts remain the only institution that can objectively determine guilt or innocence,” she said.
Dlamini said the tendency to blindly support accused pastors is particularly common in independent ministries where founders often operate without accountability structures.
She said churches that belong to larger denominations with established governance structures are often quicker to act by suspending or demoting leaders while investigations are under way.
The SWAGAA director said accountability structures are critical in protecting children and ensuring allegations are handled appropriately.
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Pastors blame one-on-one sessions, urge clergy to face justice
MBABANE – Church leaders have called on pastors to respect the offices they hold and allow the law to take its course when allegations of sexual abuse are made against them.
Archbishop Khanyakwezwe Manikela of the Christian Star Apostolic Church in Zion, popularly known as ‘Umuntfu waNkulunkulu’, said it was true that some pastors sexually abuse children, particularly minors.
He said the position of pastor requires a person who is humble, disciplined and fully aware of the trust placed in him by congregants.
Manikela said pastors should regard members of their congregations as their own children and treat them with dignity and respect.
“The office of a pastor is a respected one. A pastor must conduct himself in a manner that reflects the responsibilities attached to that office,” he said.
The archbishop said some church leaders find themselves facing allegations because they fail to exercise self-control.
He said contentment is one of the qualities that pastors need to cultivate if they are to avoid situations that could lead to misconduct.
“Pastors should train themselves to be content. Some of these sexual offences happen because people fail to practise contentment and discipline,” he said.
According to Manikela, church leaders often enjoy a high level of trust within their congregations, making it difficult for some worshippers to believe allegations levelled against them.
He said this trust sometimes results in congregants defending pastors even before investigations are completed.
“People trust their pastors. That is why some congregants immediately defend them when allegations emerge,” he said.
The archbishop said church members should resist the temptation to interfere with investigations and instead allow the justice system to determine the facts.
He said defending an accused pastor before investigations are completed could discourage survivors from reporting abuse.
Manikela noted that there are instances where congregants continue to support pastors despite serious allegations having been raised against them.
In some cases, he said, individuals who have allegedly been abused themselves still choose to defend the leaders concerned.
“Congregants should allow the law to take its course. A person remains innocent until proven guilty, but investigations must be allowed to proceed without interference,” he said.
The church leader also pointed to one-on-one counselling sessions as one of the areas where pastors need to exercise extreme caution.
He said counselling forms an important part of ministry work but warned that private meetings between pastors and congregants sometimes create opportunities for inappropriate behaviour.
According to Manikela, counselling sessions often involve discussions about sensitive issues such as marriage problems, family disputes and personal struggles.
He said pastors need to remain professional and disciplined when dealing with such matters.
“When people seek counselling, they often share intimate details about their lives. A pastor must remain faithful to his responsibilities and avoid situations that may compromise him,” he said.
Manikela said some pastors find themselves tempted during counselling sessions and later cross boundaries that should never be crossed.
He stressed that the responsibility ultimately rests with the pastor to always maintain professional conduct. The archbishop shared how his own ministry deals with the issue.
*Full article available on Pressreader*
SWAGAA Director Nonhlanhla Dlamini. (File pics)