Mkhize condemns ‘fake pastors and prophets’

Mkhize was addressing a consultative forum of the CRL Commission in Irene, Pretoria on Monday.

He spoke against pastors who engage in practices such as eating grass and drinking hazardous fluids.

This comes after a video went viral on Sunday showing a pastor by the name of Alph Lukau, claiming to raise a person from the dead.

 "Society as a whole, not just government alone, must unite to protect our people from any abuse or psychological, physical, sexual, financial or any form of exploitation, such abuse or exploitation is an infringement of our people’s right to worship or practice their faith or religion," Mkhize said.

He acknowledged that the commission has the difficult task of balancing religious diversity and responding to complaints brought by communities.

In recent years, congregants from different church groups have been seen eating grass, drinking fuel, and even eating rats.

"These practices must be stopped. These incidents require us to find solutions and successfully tread the line between harmful practices without interfering with religious freedoms,” said Mkhize.

He called on the commission to investigate and take action against these acts.

"There must be ways to curb excesses that go beyond expected conduct in a normal setting for intended worship. CRL has to investigate such distasteful and unacceptable conduct to protect our people.  The name of upright leaders of faith and reputable religious institutions get unnecessarily tainted by charlatans who take advantage of our people on their most vulnerable. Society must protect our people and institutions."