THE days of getting money out of desperate believers will soon come to an end.
The Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Rights Commission has received complaints from people of different religions across the country about how they are exploited by their churches.
The commission is looking at asking Parliament to pass legislation that will see the religious sector regulated.
During a media briefing held at Elangeni Hotel in Durban on Thursday the commission’s chairwoman, Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, said they had summoned the leaders of 13 churches founded in Durban to appear before the commission.
She said only one had come forward while others were stalling.
Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said in some instances people were forking out thousands of rands to faith healers and pastors in the belief that they would be healed and sometimes made rich.
“We have heard of unbearable stories. People are paying large amounts of money such as R300 000 and R500 000 for prayers. We honestly don’t know what is happening,” she said.
“We see pamphlets around the streets of pastors who are said to be performing miracles. This has got to come to an end because desperate people are being used. We will catch them and arrest them.”
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