KwaZulu-Natal: KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Thamsanqa Ntuli, has underscored the critical role of faith-based collaboration in achieving social cohesion and healing fractured communities. ‘The fight against social ills requires more than just policy; it demands the moral authority and compassion that our faith communities provide,’ Ntuli said, when he tabled a set of Parliamentary resolutions during an Interfaith Symposium.
According to South African Government News Agency, the meeting, held in Glencoe under Umzinyathi District Municipality, in the north-western part of KwaZulu-Natal, brought together a broad spectrum of religious leaders, including faith-based organisations, and community members, to confront pressing societal challenges through shared values and unified action.
The symposium served as a platform for meaningful dialogue, focusing on how religious communities can play a proactive role in addressing issues such as poverty, inequality, crime, substance abuse, and moral decay within KwaZulu-Natal.
In his address, Premier Ntuli highlighted the importance of faith-based collaboration in advancing the goals of the province’s moral regeneration agenda. Among the key resolutions tabled at the meeting included joint community outreach programmes to support vulnerable populations, partnerships between government and religious institutions for youth empowerment, faith-driven initiatives to combat crime and substance abuse, and promotion of interfaith tolerance and unity.
The Premier said the resolutions are not symbolic, but ‘a call to action to strengthen the moral fabric of our society’. The event underscored the provincial government’s recognition of religious institutions as vital partners in building resilient, ethical, and inclusive communities.
‘As KwaZulu-Natal continues to navigate complex social dynamics, the Interfaith Symposium in Glencoe stands as a powerful reminder of the strength found in unity, compassion, and shared purpose across religious and cultural lines,’ the Premier said.