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Southern Africa

The Johannesburg building. Credit: South Africa Council of Churches/Facebook

Let’s Speak Out for Victims of “climate injustice”: Catholic Bishops in Southern Africa

Sep 2, 2023

Members of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) are, in their message for the Season of Creation 2023, advocating for victims of “climate injustice”.

Fire Fighters at the scene of the fire. Credit: Antonio Muchava, Sowetan

“Deeply disturbed”: Southern African Bishops on Utterances Downplaying Fire Tragedy

Sep 1, 2023

Members of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) have denounced utterances that downplay the impact of the August 31 inferno on a building hosting illegal migrants in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Archbishop Peter Bryan Wells, Apostolic Nuncio to South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland. Credit: Courtesy Photo

Nuncio Urges Faith Communities in Southern Africa to Take Lead in Tackling Gender Violence

Oct 7, 2022

The representative of the Holy Father in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa has urged faith communities in the Southern African region to be on “the forefront of tackling gender violence”.

Archbishop Peter Bryan Wells, Apostolic Nuncio to South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland. Credit: SACBC

Catholic Church Leaders Also Called “to be a brother, a son”, Nuncio in Southern Africa

Oct 6, 2022

The Apostolic Nuncio in South Africa, Archbishop Peter Brian Wells, has called on Catholic Church leaders to not only lead the people of God under their pastoral care, but to also be a “brother” to their respective congregations.

Credit; Caritas Zambia

Civil Society Organizations in Southern Africa Concerned about “shrinking civic space”

Aug 30, 2022

Civil society organizations (CSOs) from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region have expressed concern about the decreasing civic space in member nations of the regional bloc. 

Credit: SACBC

“Your pain is our pain,” Bishops in Southern Africa Condole with Ondo Diocese in Nigeria

Jun 9, 2022

Catholic Bishops in Southern Africa have expressed their solidarity with the people of God of  Ondo Diocese in Nigeria following the massacre of dozens of worshippers during Pentecost Sunday Eucharistic celebration at St. Francis Xavier Owo Parish.

Sr. Nkhensani Shibambu, Superior General of the Companions of St. Angela and doubles as the President of the Leadership Conference of Consecrated Life (LCCL) in Southern Africa. Credit: ACI Africa

Nun in South Africa Lauds Pope Francis for Spotlighting Women Religious in February Prayer

Feb 6, 2022

A Catholic Nun in South Africa has lauded Pope Francis for putting a spotlight on women Religious in his prayer intention for February this year.

The SACBC Aids Office staff, workshop attendees and Misereor representatives Dr Piet Reijer and Dr Desiree Nzansibira. Credit:

Southern African Catholic Bishops' HIV/AIDS Program to Track Millions Missing Medication

Feb 3, 2022

Members of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) have launched a HIV/AIDS monitoring and sensitization program that is aimed at ensuring that millions of citizens in their region who are living with the virus access medication.

Logo SADC. Credit: SADC

Southern African Catholic Bishops Request for “Observer Status” at Regional Entity

Jan 3, 2022

Catholic Church leaders within the Interregional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA) have petitioned the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for the privilege to participate in the regional entity’s activities.

Some members of the IMBISA Standing Committee during a solidarity visit to Eswatini. Credit: Manzini Diocese

What Christian Leaders in Southern Africa have Gathered about Eswatini’s Ongoing Unrest

Nov 6, 2021

Representatives of the Fellowship of Christian Councils of Southern Africa (FOCCISA) who were on a four-day solidarity pastoral visit to the Kingdom of Eswatini have gathered that the people of God in the country are going through “a very painful and traumatizing period” due to the ongoing unrest.

Participants at the Thursday, September 2 session of the marriage awareness campaign by the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference. Credit: Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference

Catholic Priest in South Africa Urges Youth to Involve God in Choosing Marriage Partners

Sep 5, 2021

A Catholic Priest of South Africa’s Dundee Diocese has said that many marriages are breaking because God is never put in the picture especially when young people are choosing their life partners.

Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference logo. Credit: Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference

Catholic Bishops in Southern Africa Concerned about Violence in Mozambique: Peace Entity

Aug 22, 2021

The leadership of the peace entity of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), Denis Hurley Peace Institute (DHPI), says that Catholic Bishops in the Southern African pastoral region are concerned that the insurgent attacks in Mozambique may have a terrible effect in the whole region if it remains untamed.

Commuters get COVID-19 test results checked at the South African side of the border -- but a surge in cases is overwhelming authorities on both sides.

Southern Africa Bishops Concerned about Distressing Situation of Migrants at Border Posts

Jan 14, 2021

Two Catholic Bishops in Southern African nations have expressed concerns about the “distressing situation” of migrants trying to cross into South Africa from neighboring countries amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

2018 Listeriosis Outbreak in South Africa.

Church Leaders in South Africa Demanding Justice for 2018 Listeriosis Outbreak Victims

Sep 16, 2020

The leadership of the Justice and Peace Commission (JPC) of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) is demanding justice for more than 2,000 victims of the 2018 Listeriosis Outbreak, an infection described as the worst of its kind in the world.

St. Paul's Cathedral, Pemba Diocese in Mozambique.

Southern Africa Bishops Express “closeness, support” to All amid COVID-19, Pemba Crisis

Sep 9, 2020

The leadership of the nine-nation Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA) has, in a statement, expressed solidarity with the people of God in the region amid the COVID-19 challenges and the prevailing crisis in Mozambique’s Northern Province of Cabo Delgado, an area within the Diocese of Pemba. 

Church Leaders in South Africa “disgusted by revelations of looting of COVID-19 funds”

Jul 30, 2020

Church leaders in South Africa have expressed their displeasure over the “revelations of” looting of funds meant for fighting against COVID-19 in the country saying the acts are typical of “vultures and hyenas over dead bodies.”

South Africa's anti-apartheid icon, Andrew Mlangeni who passed on July 22.

Bishops in Southern Africa Eulogize Anti-Apartheid Icon for Legacy of Democracy, Equality

Jul 25, 2020

Catholic Bishops in Southern Africa have eulogized the late Andrew Mlangeni, the anti-apartheid icon who stood the 1963-1964 Rivonia Trial alongside Nelson Mandela, applauding him for his contribution to democracy and equality in South Africa.

Activists protest against Gender-based Violence and Femicide in South Africa.

What Church Leaders in Southern Africa are Doing to Tackle Gender-Based Violence

Jun 29, 2020

The leadership of the Justice and Peace Commission (JPC) of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) has, in an interview with ACI Africa, shared what  Church leaders in the region are doing to fight gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) in South Africa, which has spiked in recent times.

Logo IMBISA

Bishops in Southern Africa Commit to Combat Human Trafficking

Mar 21, 2020

Bishops from nine countries in Southern Africa have, under their umbrella body of the Inter-regional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA), expressed their commitment to fighting human trafficking in the region.

Bishop Sithembele Anton Sipuka of Umtata Diocese, South Africa, President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC)

Why the Southern Africa Bishops’ New Pastoral Plan is Important

Jan 23, 2020

As the Church leaders in Botswana, South Africa, and Swaziland prepare to officially launch their new Pastoral Plan this Sunday, January 26, the President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) that brings together the three countries, Bishop Sithembele Sipuka has explained why the new pastoral plan, which will replace the one that has guided evangelization activities of the Church in the region for the last 30 years, is important.