ZCC calls on its church members to stop buying Tiso Blackstar newspapers

The church claims the media group's publications are aimed at undermining its integrity and reputation.

ATTRIDGEVILLE, SOUTH AFRICA – APRIL 28: Members of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) gather for a mass prayer meeting at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Attridgeville, South Africa. The members marked the 100th anniversary of the 1913 Land Act. (Photo by Gallo Images / The Times / Moeletsi Mabe)

The Zion Christian Church (ZCC) on Sunday reportedly urged all its 16 million members and sympathisers to boycott the Sunday World, Sowetan, Sunday Times and other newspapers owned by the Tiso Blackstar Group.

In a statement, the ZCC said the media group had made it its mission to defame, ridicule and make a mockery of the church and its leader Bishop Barnabas Lekganyane. This after Sunday World published a front-page story about Lekganyane being taken to court by the ZCC branch in Botswana and for being charged with contempt of court. The Botswana branch sought to merge with the SA branch but this was rejected by Lekganyane and wound up in court.

The church said it could not spend money on or even associate itself with the Tiso Blackstar Group because their stories on their publications about the ZCC were apparently published for fun and commercial reasons. They were aimed at undermining the integrity and reputation of the church and its leader.

“We are not against freedom of press and we’re 100% supportive to any press which of course must follow the ethics and conduct of this. But as we say, as a church there is no other way we can solve this problem other than doing this,” ZCC spokesperson Reverend Emanuel Motolla said.

Motolla said Tiso Blackstar’s publications were deliberately dragging the ZCC through the mud to increase “dwindling circulation”.

“I’m saying this categorically that if they think they can challenge this church and bring it to its knees, they’re daydreaming because we believe in God and pray that we should be where we are. Instead of going down, we’re going up,” he said.