National Interfaith Council of South Africa

The '''National Interfaith Council of South Africa''' ('''NICSA''') is a co-operative [[interfaith dialog|interfaith]] religious body in [[South Africa]] formed by the merger of the '''National Religious Leaders Forum''' (NRLF) and the '''National Interfaith Leadership Council''' (NILC).<ref name=Merger>{{cite web|title=Press Statement by Pastor Ray McCauley on the Occasion of the Merger Between NILC and NRLF|url=http://www.rhema.co.za/Displaycustomlink.aspx?name=News%20article%204|publisher=rhema.co.za|accessdate=19 November 2012}}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name=NAminutes>{{cite web|title=Minutes of Proceedings of National Assembly |url=http://www.parliament.gov.za/live/commonrepository/Processed/20110915/363723_1.pdf |date=13 September 2011 |publisher=parliament.gov.za |accessdate=20 November 2012}}</ref>

==History==
The National Religious Leaders Forum (NRLF) [[interfaith dialog|interfaith]] body was formed in [[post-apartheid South Africa]]. When President [[Jacob Zuma]] took office in 2009, Pastor [[Ray McCauley]] of Rhema Bible Church formed a new interfaith organization called the National Interfaith Leadership Council (NILC) which subsequently merged with the National Religious Leaders Forum (NRLF) to form NICSA in 2011.<ref name=Merger /><ref name=uos>{{cite web|title=BIENNIAL CONFERENCE(21 AUGUST 2011 / 21 MENACHEM AV 5771): CHIEF RABBI'S REPORT |url=http://www.uos.co.za/biennial/chief.asp |publisher=uos.co.za|date=21 August 2011|accessdate=19 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Republic of South Africa President Jacob Zuma meets National Interfaith Leaders|url=http://www.info.gov.za/speech/DynamicAction?pageid=461&sid=3493&tid=3638|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121224201105/http://www.info.gov.za/speech/DynamicAction?pageid=461&sid=3493&tid=3638|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 December 2012|publisher=info.gov.za|date=11 August 2009|accessdate=19 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Rossouw|first=Mandy|title=Zuma's new God squad wants liberal laws to go |url=http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-09-11-zumas-new-god-squad-wants-liberal-laws-to-go|date=11 September 2009|publisher=mg.co.za |accessdate=19 November 2012}}</ref>

==Membership==
NICSA comprises members from various religious groups in South Africa including mainstream Christian groups, [[African initiated church|African indigenous churches]], Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Pentecostal, Scientology– and charismatic Christian churches.<ref name=Merger /><ref>{{cite news|last=Eliseev |first=Alex | title=National Interfaith Council launched |url=http://ewn.co.za/2011/09/02/National-Interfaith-Council-launched |publisher=ewn.co.za |date=2 September 2011|accessdate=19 November 2012}}</ref>

==Leadership==
Pastor [[Ray McCauley]] of Rhema Bible Church and Archbishop Buti Tlhagale of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Johannesburg]] were elected as interim co-chairmen of the organizing committee of NICSA which will oversee the finalization of the constitution and the organization of a plenary meeting of faith and religious leaders where a leadership structure will be elected.<ref name=Merger /><ref name=NAminutes />

==Relationship with Government==
On 13 September 2011, the [[National Assembly of South Africa|National Assembly]] of the [[Parliament of South Africa]] welcomed the formation of NICSA in response to President Jacob Zuma's call for the religious community to partner with the [[Government of South Africa]] "to establish a 
cohesive and caring society, including establishing an enabling environment for sustainable development".<ref name=NAminutes />

Church leaders have criticized the [[African National Congress]] (ANC) ruling party for co-opting religious bodies such as NICSA to serve the party in a political sense and alienating those who do not, while NICSA and other interfaith bodies have been criticized for publicly supporting Government on matters where they have no mandate.<ref>{{cite news|title=Churches accuse South Africa's ANC of interfering |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/feedarticle/9901192 |date=18 October 2011 |publisher=guardian.co.uk |accessdate=20 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Mataboge |first=Mmanaledi |title=Churches tackle Zuma's ANC |url=http://www.citypress.co.za/Politics/News/Churches-tackle-Zumas-ANC-20120407 |date=8 April 2012 |publisher=citypress.co.za|accessdate=20 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Mathole Motshekga|author-link=Mathole Motshekga|title=ANC blessed by good relations |url=http://www.citypress.co.za/MyCityPress/Letters/ANC-blessed-by-good-relations-20120421 |date=22 April 2012 |publisher=citypress.co.za|accessdate=20 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Religions have no e-toll mandate|url=http://www.citizen.co.za/citizen/content/en/citizen/opinion-leaders?oid=326209&sn=Detail&pid=146826&Religions-have-no-e-toll-mandate--|date=5 October 2012|publisher=citizen.co.za|accessdate=19 November 2012}}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Religion in South Africa]]
*[[South African Council of Churches]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Religion in South Africa}}

[[Category:Religion in South Africa]]
[[Category:Religious organisations based in South Africa]]