African witchcraft beliefs are said to be an inherent part of the cosmological and religious belief systems of African communities. The truth however is that allegations of “African witchcraft” are only ever used by accusers to slander innocent victims of prejudice. On
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South African Law Reform Commission Private Bag X 668 PRETORIA, 0001 For attention: State Law Advisor Ms Jennifer Joni Professor Marita Carnelley Professor David Bilchitz Dr Sibusiso Masondo Ms Likhapa Mbatha Prof Pitika Ntuli Prof Theodore Petrus Comment
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The new Issue Paper released by the South African Law Reform Commission has confirmed the following:a) the Witchcraft Suppression Act’s prohibition of identifying as a witch and professing knowledge of witchcraft is unconstitutional, and b) the Act’s prohibition of engaging in divination’s
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SAPRA has received an update from the South African Law Reform Commission, on the review of the Witchcraft Suppression Act. See: http://www.justice.gov.za/salrc/media/20160119-prj135-dp139-WitchcraftSuppression.pdf All stakeholders (existing or new) are invited to submit comment on the new draft PROHIBITION OF HARMFUL PRACTICES ASSOCIATED WITH WITCHCRAFT BELIEFS
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In the aftermath of the attacks on foreign nationals residing in South Africa, we at SAPRA, condemn the violence, discrimination and prejudice stemming from xenophobia. After years of campaigning against brutally violent witch-hunts in South Africa, we have come to recognize that
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In the Times LIVE article dated 7th June 2014, Harmful Religious practice and occult on the rise in SA, we see a lot of the same alarmist rhetoric. Claims are made that there is a rise in Occultism, Satanism and Vampirism and
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by Francisco Fumarola (SAPRA Executive Member) Some debate has been raised about why some South African Pagans consider Satanic Panic a non-issue, something that does not affect Pagans and that can be ignored. Naturally, I do not agree with this stance and
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South African Witches object strongly to inflammatory and offensive accusations of “witchcraft” uttered by Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula and ANC provincial secretary Songezo Mjongile at the Lusaka Community Hall in Nyanga on 7 April. “This thing of witchcraft is when a witch does nothing for
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With reference to the following media reports: Satanism cases in township schoolsNews24.com | 23 March 2014 Townships need educating on government policyTimes Live | 23 March 2014 Stamp out satanism in schools, parents pleadThe Citizen | 24 March 2014 .There are essentially
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The South African Pagan Rights Alliance has lodged a complaint of hate speech against the South African Police Services and the Occult Crimes Unit, with the South African Human Rights Commission. Repeated media speculation on alleged but unproven Satanic and Occult ritual
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The South African Pagan Rights Alliance is lodging a formal charge of hate speech against the SAPS Occult Crime Unit and its members, with the Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa, and the South African Human Rights Commission. A South African Police Service
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Allegations published today [0] by Col Hendriek de Jager alleging that there is an increase in occult-related crimes around the country amounts to disingenuous fabrication! There is no convincing evidence to prove that said crimes are in any way linked to actual
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The South African Police Service in a public briefing today, states that SAPS teams have engaged the South African Pagan Rights Alliance regarding an alleged increase in “harmful occult practices”. This is a lie! At no time has any official in any
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It has come to the attention of SAPRA that a number of Home Affairs officials across the country are still refusing to register heterosexual marriages performed under the Civil Union Act by marriage officers appointed by SAPRA. For some reason said officials
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Witch-hunts in South AfricaAdvocacy against human rights abuses committed as a result of accusations of witchcraft and violent witch-hunts (2014)by Damon Leff Download the complete document in.pdf format (1.82 MB) ABSTRACT The test of Nelson Mandela’s legacy will be marked by how
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The South African Pagan Rights Alliance is deeply offended by this advert. Witchcraft is not a synonym for “black magic” and real Witches are not relegated to folkloric stereotypes! As an ngo that represents actual Witches in South Africa, and as the
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Satanism, The Acid Test v01.03 “Satanism: The Acid Test” provides explanations of Satanic Ritual Abuse (SRA) hysteria, Satanism as diverse religions under a common label, other religions and subcultures incorrectly associated with Satanism and the Satanism stereotype, and finally, flaws in the
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In 2011 shortly after the Van Eck “Graveyard Murder”, Danie Krügel, who is an associate of Auksano, called the crime a “Satanic murder”. The murder was widely referred to as such in many publication and on television news – all these sources
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An article published on 20 October 2013 entitled ‘Teenager arrested in alleged Satanic murder’ is an example of biased and poor reporting. A crime receives the “Satanism” label, without all the facts being known and simply based on speculation. The word alleged is
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The murder case of Kaemogetswe Sefularo is once again in the news and eNCAnews has reported it as a “Satanic killing”. The South African media should be aware of the harm they are causing to religious minorities in South Africa by calling
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We will be joined live by Damon Leff. Our main focus for the show will be SAPRA (South African Pagan Rights Alliance), the 30 Days of Advocacy Against Witch Hunts in South Africa and the state of religious and cultural conflicts in
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Die artikel in Beeld 5 Augustus 2013 getiteld “Okkulte lok nou meer amateurs” het betrekking. Weereens is Beeld skuldig daaraan dat hulle ‘n uiters eensydige artikel publiseer. Blykbaar besef Beeld nie dat inligting afkomstig van Lamprecht en die Okkulte eenheid deurtrek is
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South African Police Services ‘Occult crime unit’ Warrant Officer says unit targets Occultists (including Witches and Satanists), Esoterics and Pagans. Warrant Officer Matsena from the provincial occult department in Durban addressed social workers, nurses, teachers, psychiatrists and welfare representatives to equip them
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King Buleyekhaya Dalindyebo recently accused Mandla Mandela of being a witch. The king accused Mandla of behaving like a “witch” by moving the graves of three of Mr Mandela’s children from Qunu to Mvezo without consulting his relatives. “I don’t even want
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In an open letter published in the Times entitled ‘Witchcraft plea’ and republished as ‘Barack Obama in Africa: MPs Call on US President to Tackle Witchcraft Violence’ by Hannah Osborne, signatories including “Baroness Miller of Chilthorne; Kirsty Brimelow, QC; Professor Susan Edwards;
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“Complaint falls outside the SAHRC’s jurisdiction.” The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has denied *SAPRA’s appeal against its decision to refer a complaint lodged with the SAHRC, against the Traditional Healers Organization national coordinator for hate speech, to the Commission for
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South Africa’s ‘Satanic Panic’ An online seminar on the facts and fantasies of South Africa’s own “Satanic Panic” hosted by the South African Pagan Rights Alliance on Saturday 01 June 2013 – VENUE DOWNLOAD A FREE COPY Visit the EVENT PAGE to read all commentary. AGENDA
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SAPRA response to Dept. Education Legal Services and the MEC Creecy – 14 May 2013 MEC for Education Gauteng Province Barbara Creecy Re: MEC CREECY UTTERS HATE SPEECH AGAINST RELIGIOUS MINORITIES 0. This Alliance welcomes your invitation to engage further with the
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There appears to be a persistent and incorrect meme circulating some factions of the S.A. Pagan community that: 1) SAPRA speaks for Satanists, 2) SAPRA identifies Satanism as a Pagan religion, 3) SAPRA promotes Satanism as such, and 4) SAPRA’s advocacy against
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The South African Pagan Rights Alliance supports the call to disband the SAPS Occult Crime Unit . The investigative mandate of the SAPS Occult crime unit, in particular, certain ‘categories of crime’ (listed below), contravene internationally recognized policing ethics and conduct related to
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Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities Chairperson: Rev. Dr Wesley Madonda Mabuza Deputy Chairperson: Mrs Julia Mabale Chief Executive Officer: Adv. Pheagane Solomon Moreroa Dear Sir / Madam South African Pagan communities
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. “Satanism” as a media creation: why the Department of Education’s “anti-harmful” strategy is unfounded. Prepared on behalf of the South African Pagan Rights AllianceBy Francisco Fumarola and Bronwyn Katzke DOWNLOAD a complete copy [.pdf 625KB] EXTRACT Recent supposed cases of “satanic”
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Hate Speech Complaint against the KZN Department of Education MEC Senzo Mchunu and departmental spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi “The KZN Department of Education is much aware of Satanic incidents occurring at schools in the province. In fact, the MEC Senzo Mchunu had
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Letter of Demand to: Umphakathi OkhathazekileConcerned Young People Attention: Bele Hlongwane RE: Satanic panic grips schools [Friday, 29 March 2013]http://www.preciousyouth.org.za/index.php/news/item/169-satanic-panic-grips-schools Dear Miss / Mrs Hlongwane This Alliance would like to request your urgent review of incorrect and prejudicial information published on your
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The South African Pagan Rights Alliance will be lodging a formal complaint of hate speech against Charles Phahlane, Gauteng department of education spokesperson, with the SA Human Rights Commission. This Alliance will argue that Phahlane’s statements regarding the Department’s proposed policy on
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Ugogo wami, ugogo wakho nawe My grandmother is your grandmother Witch-hunts have become epidemic throughout Africa. Although witch-hunts have historically been viewed as gender specific, with a large percentage of victims still identified as elderly and solitary women, recent reports show
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‘Schools tackle Satanism’ as printed in the 19 March 2013 edition of The Sowetan. As one of the leading newspapers in South Africa, The Sowetan boasts a readership of two million. That would be two million readers misled by the article ‘Schools
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According to several media reports published in The Citizen, The New Age, The Sowetan, City Press, News24.com, IOL, Timeslive, LookLocal, Eye Witness News and SABC TV, “A team of faith-based organisations is to develop an “anti-harmful” religious strategy in schools, Gauteng education
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SAPRA herewith lodges formal objection against the February 2013 decision by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to refer a complaint, lodged by the Director on behalf of the South African Pagan Rights Alliance on 22 February 2010 against public utterances of
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In February 2010 the South African Pagan Rights Alliance lodged a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) against repeated libelous statements made by Traditional Healers Organization national co-ordinator, Phephisile Maseko, against South African Witches. [1] “I can’t speak for others,
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