- Rev Professor Musa Xulu has resigned as chair of the CRL’s Section 22 Committee, citing intimidation, procedural irregularities, and an alleged covert agenda of state control over the church.
- Grace Bible Church asserts that churches must self-regulate and confirms it is not involved in the Section 22 Committee’s internal processes.
- The ACDP and South African Church Defenders have escalated calls for the resignation of CRL chair Thoko Mkwanazi-Xaluva and are considering court action.
The resignation of Reverend Professor Musa Xulu as chairperson of the Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Rights Commission’s (CRL) Section 22 Committee has sent shockwaves through South Africa’s religious and constitutional landscape, intensifying an already fraught debate about the role of the state in regulating religious institutions.
Xulu stepped down with immediate effect, warning that the committee had become a vehicle for unconstitutional state interference rather than a genuine process of church self-regulation.
Grace Bible Church (GBC) has joined a growing chorus of voices expressing concern, while maintaining its distance from the internal operations of the committee. In a statement issued through its Presiding Bishop, Mosa Sono, the church said it was aware of Xulu’s resignation but was not privy to the committee’s inner workings.
“As part of the broader church fraternity, Grace Bible Church has always engaged in CRL processes and discussions,” Sono said, reaffirming the church’s long-held position “that churches should self-regulate.”
Xulu: To remain would be to compromise my integrity
In an extensive press statement, Xulu described his resignation as an act of conscience rooted in constitutional accountability and faith. “I can no longer serve as chair of a committee the processes of which I do not control, the outcomes of which I do not endorse, and the existence of which is being used as a front to disguise a predetermined agenda of state control of religion,” he said.
Xulu explained that his appointment, confirmed on 25 April 2025, was to lead research into abuses within the Christian sector with a view to strengthening self-regulation grounded in Scripture, theology, and church history. “There was no reference whatsoever in my letter of appointment to the development of a legislative framework, or to any form of state control of religion,” he stated. “On the contrary, my understanding was that the task was to protect religious freedom, not undermine it.”
He added that his attempts to run the committee independently were systematically blocked. “Despite my letter of appointment stating clearly that I was to call and preside over meetings, this never occurred,” Xulu said. “I never presided over a single meeting from beginning to end.”
Allegations of intimidation, exclusion, and hostility
Xulu painted a deeply troubling picture of a process he described as “toxic, exclusionary, and intimidating.” He alleged that the CRL chairperson, Thoko Mkwanazi-Xaluva, exercised complete control over meetings, agendas, and membership, while dissenting voices were marginalised. “Those who questioned the direction of the committee were treated as ‘disruptive elements’,” he said, adding that discussions were held about involving SAPS and even teargas to manage opposition.
He further alleged open hostility towards Pentecostal and Charismatic churches, warning that entire sectors of Christianity were being treated as adversaries. “This is not consultation. This is intimidation,” Xulu said bluntly.
Disputed representation and the “45 million Christians” claim
Central to Xulu’s concerns was what he called a “serious representational deficit” within the Section 22 Committee. He rejected repeated claims by the CRL chair that the committee represented 45 million Christians. “One cannot credibly claim to represent tens of millions of Christians while excluding major denominations and proceeding without the South African Council of Churches,” he said.
Xulu noted that major TEASA denominations, including the Apostolic Faith Mission, Assemblies of God, and the Full Gospel Church, had formally repudiated TEASA’s participation in the committee. “Taken together, these realities reveal a serious representational deficit at the heart of the process,” he said.
Racism, vendettas, and abuse of power
Among the most serious allegations raised were claims of racist remarks and personal vendettas. Xulu told the press that Freedom of Religion South Africa director Michael Swain was referred to in meetings as “the white man from England who came to South Africa in 1983 to enjoy apartheid.” He described this language as “deeply inconsistent with the spirit of our Constitution.”
Xulu further alleged that the CRL chair spoke openly about laying criminal charges against Swain and pressuring law enforcement to secure his arrest. “I was shocked that the chair of a Chapter 9 institution would speak in this way about a citizen whose only ‘offence’ was to criticise a public process,” he said.
Political and civil society backlash grows
The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) welcomed Xulu’s resignation, calling it “one of the best pieces of news marking the start of 2026.” The party said Xulu’s disclosures confirmed long-standing concerns that the Section 22 Committee was illegally constituted and driven by undemocratic practices.
“The chairperson of the CRL Rights Commission has shown undemocratic tendencies by appointing the Section 22 Committee chairperson without consulting fellow commissioners,” the ACDP said, calling for Mkwanazi-Xaluva’s resignation. The party warned that threats of arrest and registration requirements amounted to intimidation of the church.
The South African Church Defenders (SACD) echoed these concerns, describing Xulu’s resignation as a principled refusal to participate in “illegal and unconstitutional actions.” The organisation announced plans for a major march in Durban on 12 March and confirmed that it would proceed with court action against the CRL. “The Constitution does not mandate the CRL to regulate the church, but to promote and protect religious freedom,” the SACD said.
A deepening constitutional fault line
As the CRL’s Section 22 Committee insists it will continue its work and distances itself from Xulu’s press briefing, the broader crisis shows no sign of abating.
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