South Africa’s Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Rights (CRL) Commission has appealed to religious leaders nationwide to be cautious of unsafe rivers as the Easter long weekend, a time traditionally marked by baptisms and cleansing rituals, approaches.
This follows persistent heavy rains across many parts of the country, which have led to emergency services warning the public to stay away from riverbanks, state media SABC reports.
"As the CRL Rights Commission, we are pleading with the religious leaders to be cautious as we go into the Easter because most of them will be conducting baptisms in rivers," CRL Commission Chairperson Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said in a statement.
Highlighting the specific weather concerns, Mkhwanazi-Xaluva added, "There have been weather warnings, especially in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Gauteng.
The International Pentecost Holiness Church which organised the ceremonies where some husbands took more wives says polygamy is authorised by the Bible. First-time brides wore traditional white dresses.
"Wherever in South Africa, that when they approach a river, they must be cautious that they should not expose their congregants to an unsafe environment."
The call to vigilance comes against the backdrop of tragic incidents. In 2022, the bodies of three men, aged between 24 and 30, were recovered after they drowned during a baptism ceremony in the Snake Park area of Soweto.
A similar incident occurred in December 2022 when fifteen bodies were retrieved from the Jukskei River during church baptisms.
