Some South Coast churches not ready to reopen, say leaders
Churches have been closed since the coronavirus outbreak began in late March, but were given permission to resume services at the beginning of June under level 3 lockdown.
Religious leaders from Oshabeni outside Port Shepstone say that despite government regulations allowing churches to reopen, many are not ready to do so.
This came to light at a recent meeting of Oshabeni Ministries, held at the Orthodox Apostolic church at Oshabeni.
Churches have been closed since the coronavirus outbreak began in late March, but were given permission to resume services at the beginning of June under level 3 lockdown.
According to the ministries’ chairman, Bishop Nkosinathi Nyide, the main purpose of the meeting was to make every church leader aware of the regulations.
“As the executive, we have read and understood the rules and want all leaders to understand them too,” he said. The regulations state that no one may attend church services without wearing a face mask; no service may take place before the area is disinfected; upon arrival all members should have their temperatures checked and their hands sanitised; no more than 50 members should attend the same service and only a solo singer is allowed.
Failure to adhere to these regulations, the bishop pointed out, could lead to a church leader being arrested and fined.
“In my opinion these regulations mean the churches could reopen, but how on earth can we go to church and not sing? It would be even harder not to sit close to each other. So as I see it, we are not ready to reopen services.
“Please do not go and open churches if you are not 100 percent ready because if even one member contracts the virus and goes to church, the virus will spread,” he added.
All the leaders present agreed that it was not yet time for their churches to reopen.
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