FAITH leaders say, "Leave God Alone".
They said this after the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) exposed deep Home Affairs corruption.
The explosive findings in the Department of Home Affairs have shaken the nation's confidence and exposed what many view as a "profound betrayal of public trust".
The report details serious allegations of corruption, including permits reportedly being sold for cash, officials allegedly working with criminal syndicates, government systems manipulated for personal gain, and border controls compromised.
These revelations point to what observers describe as not merely administrative failure, but a systemic breakdown that strikes at the core of governance and national integrity.
This was no minor lapse. It was a crisis of accountability within one of the country's most critical departments.
As outrage spread across the country, the President of the South African Community of Faith-Based Fraternals and Federations (Sacoff), Pastor Bert Pretorius, strongly condemned the corruption but warned against using the scandal to justify increased state control over religious institutions.
"The recent SIU findings into corruption at Home Affairs are deeply concerning, with serious allegations of permits being sold for cash, officials working with criminal syndicates, and systems being manipulated.
"Those responsible must be held fully accountable," said Pretorius.
However, he cautioned against linking government corruption to proposals for regulating churches.
"We must be careful not to draw the wrong conclusion. The fact that corruption was exposed within a government department does not justify regulating and controlling churches."
His remarks come after the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) suggested that the findings highlight the need for churches to be formally registered and regulated.
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Pretorius rejected that reasoning, saying the solution lies in fixing government failures rather than expanding state authority over faith communities.
"The suggestion that these findings support greater state regulation of religious practitioners simply does not follow.
"If officials abuse their power, the solution is to fix that department, strengthen oversight, and enforce existing laws, not to target churches," he said.
Pretorius stressed that religious institutions already operate within South Africa's legal framework and are subject to national laws like any other organisation.
"Churches are already subject to the laws of the country, just like every other institution.
"Criminal behaviour must be prosecuted wherever it occurs in government, in business, and in religious spaces, but expanding state control over faith communities is not the solution," said Pretorius.
Faith leaders across the country have echoed similar concerns, warning that churches must not become scapegoats for failures within state institutions.
"This is a governance failure within Home Affairs.
"It is not evidence that churches lack oversight, nor does it justify increased state control over religious communities," faith leaders said.
They emphasised that South Africa already has strong legislation to prosecute fraud, corruption, trafficking, abuse, and financial crimes, regardless of where they occur.
"The presence of criminals does not mean churches need to be licensed. It means criminals must be prosecuted," said faith leaders.
Pretorius warned that addressing corruption requires strengthening governance, not limiting constitutional freedoms.
"The solution to corruption in government is better governance, stronger accountability, and ethical leadership, not limiting constitutional religious freedom.
"Let us reform what is broken without targeting the wrong institution," said Pretorius.
Faith leaders also raised concerns about protecting constitutional rights, warning that allowing the state to determine who can preach or lead religious communities could undermine religious freedom.
"If the state begins deciding who qualifies as a religious leader, religious freedom becomes conditional.
"Once belief requires permission, it is no longer free."
The SIU findings have sparked urgent calls for reform within Home Affairs, including stronger internal controls, improved vetting systems, and consequences for those involved in corruption.
But faith leaders remain firm that the crisis must not be used to justify expanding state control over religion.
"Bribery is not cured by regulating pastors. Administrative corruption is not fixed by licensing clergy," Pretorius said.
