Durban - The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious, and Linguistic Communities (CRL) has called for extra safety measures to be put in place by religious leaders after at least 17 people were killed in separate incidents during baptisms last week.
Fifteen died in the Jukskei River in Gauteng, and a pastor and a woman drowned at Inanda Dam, near Durban.
CRL spokesperson Mpiyakhe Mkholo said church leaders and congregants should take measures to ensure the safety of all during rituals.
“The commission, whose mandate is to protect and promote the rights of cultural, religious, and linguistic communities, wishes to state that the religious communities have the right to exercise their faith and practise their rituals, such as water baptism. However, the commission cautions that the practice of these rights has to be accompanied by greater levels of responsibility on the part of the leaders and the members.”
Mkholo said commission chairperson David Mosoma had appealed to leaders and members of the cultural, religious and linguistic communities to ensure that their rituals were carried out in a safe environment.
Bhekani Mthembu of New House of Worship Ministries said he believed it was the responsibility of church leaders to make sure it was safe to conduct baptisms. He said his church had done away with performing baptisms in dams and rivers and they were now done in a swimming pool.
“For me, as long as you pray for the water you are going to use for that baptism performance ceremony, it is fine. The Bible did not say we should do it only in the river, sea or dams. It did not say the place, and some churches just sprinkle water on you”
Dr Jill Fortuin, executive director of Drowning Prevention at the National Sea Rescue Institute, said the organisation often responded to drownings related to baptisms.
“It is not safe to conduct baptisms in rivers, dams and the sea. There are so many reasons why it’s not safe – because the river sometimes has rocks, and the congregants do not know the depth of that river. It would be better if they do it at a place where it is authorised for swimming and under supervision.”
She advised churches to ensure that lifeguards were on duty. “It is important to have someone who has swimming skills within the church. Bystanders should know how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).”
Lifesaving South Africa urged leaders of faith-based organisations to heed the offer to help them to hold safe baptismal ceremonies. “Our organisation can assist in providing information of areas that are safe. We can liaise with voluntary lifeguard clubs or municipal lifeguards to provide safety officers.”
It advised against holding baptismal and prayer rituals in the early-morning and night and said they should be arranged at designated safe aquatic areas.
“These rituals should always be arranged during the hours of 8am to 5pm, when there is a strong likelihood of lifeguards and emergency workers on duty.”