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Violence in Post-Apartheid South Africa and the Role of Church and Theology1 Violence in post-apartheid South Africa 1 and the role of church and theology C.F.C. Coetzee School of Ecclesiastical Studies Potchefstroom Campus North-West University POTCHEFSTROOM E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Violence in post-apartheid South Africa and the role of church and theology South Africa is known as one of the most violent countries in the world. Since the seventeenth century, violence has been part of our history. Violence also played a significant role during the years of apartheid and the revolutionary struggle against apartheid. It was widely expected that violence would decrease in a post-apartheid democratic South Africa, but on the con- trary, violence has increased in most cases. Even the TRC did not succeed in its goal to achieve reconciliation. In this paper it is argued that theology and the church have a great and significant role to play. Churches and church leaders who supported revolutionary violence against the apartheid system on Biblical “grounds”, should confess their unbiblical her- meneutical approach and reject the option of violence. The church also has a calling in the education of young people, the pastoral care of criminals and victims, in proclaiming the true Gospel to the government and in creating an ethos of human rights. Opsomming Geweld in Suid-Afrika ná apartheid en die rol van kerk en teologie Suid-Afrika staan bekend as een van die mees gewelddadige lande van die wêreld. Sedert die sewentiende eeu was geweld 1 Reworked version of a paper delivered at the international conference of IRTI held at Kinashi, Indonesia, 8 to 13 July 2003. In die Skriflig 38(2) 2004:333-348 333 Violence in post-apartheid South Africa & the role of church and theology deel van ons geskiedenis. Dit het ook ’n beslissende rol ge- speel in die stryd teen apartheid. Daarom is allerweë verwag dat geweld sou afneem in die demokratiese nuwe Suid-Afrika. Die teendeel het in die meeste opsigte gebeur en geweld neem steeds toe. Selfs die Waarheids- en Versoeningskommissie kon nie daarin slaag om versoening te bewerkstellig nie. In hierdie artikel word gefokus op die rol van die teologie en die kerk in die bekamping van (veral) polities-geïnspireerde geweld. Die kerke en teoloë wat die Bevrydingsteologie verkondig het en hulle geskaar het aan die kant van die revolusie teen apartheid, behoort skuld te bely en te erken dat hulle met ’n onskriftuurlike hermeneutiek gewerk het. Die kerk het ook ’n roeping en verantwoordelikheid ten opsigte van die opvoeding van die jeug, die pastorale begeleiding van slagoffers van geweld en misdadigers, die Skriftuurlike getuienis teenoor die owerheid en die bevordering van ’n etos van menseregte. 1. Introduction Violence is a world-wide and most complicated phenomenon. In most cases violence can also be regarded as sin. The importance of this theme can therefore not be over-emphasised. The testimony and deeds of the Church of Christ as well as the doctrine of sound Scriptural theology are urgently needed in a time of increasing violence. It must further be kept in mind that the subject of violence is so extensive that it can hardly be overseen. Floor (1990:55) uses the following definition of violence: “… an unnecessary, excessive, hurtful and unlawful use of force”. Referring to Ballard, he further distinguishes at least five forms of violence: ideological, structural, institutional, criminal and pathological violence (Floor, 1990:55). Van Wyk (1991:89-96) distinguishes among the following forms of violence: psychological violence, structural violence, revolutionary violence, rebellious violence, police violence and military violence. It is the aim of this article to focus on the so-called structural violence and counter-violence related to the political and social revolution which took place in South Africa (also known as the liberation struggle or the struggle against apartheid) and led to a democratic new South Africa in 1994. In the same context, attention will be given to the ongoing and escalating violence and new forms of structural violence in post-apartheid South Africa, before focusing on the role that the church and theology can and should play in combatting violence. 334 In die Skriflig 38(2) 2004:333-348 C.F.C Coetzee Attention will therefore not be given to other forms of violence, such as family violence, various forms of sexual violence, crime, etc. that are not directly related to the political situation, although in many cases it is very difficult to make a clear distinction (Van Niekerk, 1985:91, 92). 2. Historical oversight and background South Africa is known as one of the most violent countries of the world. More than eighty murders are committed every day. On a list published by Interpol in 1995, South Africa was third out of 96 countries as far as murders are concerned, second in the case of sexual violence and first as far as rape is concerned (Vorster, 2003:4). The fact that the South African Government placed a moratorium on the publication of statistics, makes it difficult to get a clear picture. As a result, the available statistics from other sources are frequently outdated. The following statistics may, however, give some idea of the extent of violence (Claasen, 1999:189): The ratio per 100 000 of the population for murder in 1998 was 58,5, for attempted murder 69,2 and for robbery with aggravating circum- stances, 207,6. From 1991 to 1999 the increase in farm attacks was 96% on average. While murders in South Africa decreased from 1994 to 1999, farm murders increased. From January 1997 to January 1998, there was an average of 36 farm attacks per month that escalated from February 1998 to February 1999 to an average of 67 farm attacks per month. This represents an increase of 86,1% on average per month, and in February 1998 to March 1998 farm attacks increased by 97,1% compared to the rate for January 1998. It is evident that 870 murders have been committed during 4 624 farm attacks from 1991 to 1999 (Action Stop Farm Attacks, 2001:2). (This number has since increased to approximately 1 500.) It must be noted, however, that the history of South Africa has been characterised by the occurrence of violence to a greater or lesser extent since the middle of the seventeenth century and even earlier. Between 1770 and 1775 the so-called “free burghers” met the migrating Bantu on the expanding eastern borders of the Cape of Good Hope. The subsequent clashes and confrontation between the two totally different cultures resulted in border wars and retaliation (Action Stop Farm Attacks, 2001:5). This was one of the reasons for the “Groot Trek”. On their way north the Trekkers met with black-on- black violence between the Zulu and Matabele inter alia, but the In die Skriflig 38(2) 2004:333-348 335 Violence in post-apartheid South Africa & the role of church and theology Trekkers themselves were attacked and had to defend themselves in bloody battles like that of “Vegkop” (against the Basutu) and “Bloodriver” (against the Zulu). During the period of colonisation by Great Britain (from 1805 to 1910) the demographic and geographic face of the subcontinent changed. The demarcation of land and the movement of people were forced onto black communities with their African communalistic culture and spiritual bond with the land, as well as onto Europeans with their concept of free enterprise and puritanical work ethic and culture. The Afrikaner, as well as the Bantu peoples experienced the imperialistic colonisation of the land as a form of oppression (Action Stop Farm Attacks, 2001:5). The two Boer republics, the Orange Free State and the Transvaal, lost their sovereignty to Great Britain after the second Anglo-Boer war of 1899 to 1902, during which approximately 26 000 women and children died in concentration camps. With the Peace Accord of Vereeniging of 31 May 1902 both Republics became integrated parts of colonised South Africa. With the realisation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the struggle continued between the black majority and the white minority that formed the Government. The African National Congress (ANC) was founded in 1912. In 1948 the National Party came into power after using the slogan of “apartheid” in the election campaign. Since then the struggle and “structural violence” intensified between the apartheid system with its discriminatory laws and the “counter violence” of the ANC and its allies, Cosatu, the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the South African Council of Churches (SACC). The government regarded the “revolution” and its methods as the reason for implementing military and other measures to curb the revolution, while they were looking for a political solution in the policy of “separate development”. The ANC and its allies on the other hand, perceived the system of “injustice” and the “illegitimacy” of the government as giving them the right to implement revolutionary methods such as actions of civil dis- obedience, sabotage and other violent means to bring apartheid to an end. Violence was seen by many as “the religion of the apartheid system” (Smith, 1999:52). The result of the struggle was that the respective parties were forced to the negotiating table and this process led to the creation of the new democratic South Africa. In 1994 the South African Con- stitutional State came into being with the aim to entrench the highest authority of the law in the Constitution and to bind the judiciary process to the Bill of Rights in order to prevent the misuse of power by the government as far as possible (Vorster, 2003:112). 336 In die Skriflig 38(2) 2004:333-348 C.F.C Coetzee Within the context of this article it is important to emphasise the role of certain churches and church organisations as well as prominent church leaders in the struggle against apartheid.
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