Bishop Vorster's appeal to white South Africans
Bishop Michael Vorster of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa says white South Africans need to start paying more attention to the issue of economic transformation.
Vorster, who serves the Natal Coastal District, was among those leading an early morning Good Friday Service, held by the Diakonia Council of Churches in Durban yesterday.
He says dialogue on the equitable distribution of the country's wealth must be had by all.
"When you look at every level, the most of the economy is still in the hands of whites. I think that we need to have a serious conversation and I would call upon whites not to get too defensive about this."
"Let's have an open conversation. Let's really listen to the pains of our brothers and sisters - who happen to be black - and that for me is one of the crucial things," Voster said.
He has suggested that the lack of economic transformation or slow pace thereof has led to unrest in the form of protests.
"If we don't, you can begin to see the symptoms - people getting angry. It's like a catharsis - people saying where can I express this frustration. So they take it out on buildings and so on. If we don't pay attention to that, we will suddenly find ourselves living in a very, very troubled country," he added.
Premier Senzo Mchunu also joined other leaders, dignitaries and congregants for the service
He has called on religious leaders to help spiritually guide the province.
"We must all take responsibility and lead together. The church in particular is the conscience of society and they must dispense their responsibility without fear or favour"
I invite religious leaders to pray for a prosperous province. We must pray for unity, peace and stability," Mchunu said.
The highlight of the Diakonia Council of Churches is the early morning procession through Durban streets, with some participants carrying a cross.
It has been a tradition since the council held the first Easter service in 1985.
