SA Zionist Church demands compensation for lost revenue
The South African Zionist Church in Durban is demanding government compensate churches for revenue lost during the levels 5 and 4 of the lockdown.
Bishop Bheki Ngcobo says churches have not only suffered the loss of income, but the government has also tarnished the church's reputation by refusing to classify them as an essential service from the start of the lockdown.
"We welcome that churches can reopen under level 3 of the lockdown, but we have mixed feelings because we heard the president call the church essential for the first time yet we have been calling for that since level 5.”
ALSO READ: Pandemic puts up to 86mn children at risk of poverty: study
He believes a lot of people have lost trust in the work of the church.
"We are calling for a compensation grant because there is a lot of losses, others lost their places of worship, church cars, and buildings, so we need the government to meet the church halfway," added Ngcobo.
He has vowed to turn to the courts if they cannot come to an agreement with the government.