By Konanani Raligilia,
Kodisang Bokaba and
Ntsuxeko Shibambu
The discussion about African spirituality must take place in light of the groundbreaking resolutions made by the City of Tshwane and Unisa, among other institutions, regarding the provision of employment conditions for employees with a spiritual calling.
By doing so, this would be an acknowledgement of the challenges faced by individuals who have a calling in African spirituality.
For example, the ancestor might reconnect with such an individual during normal working hours.
The situation involving DA parliamentarian and spokesperson Karabo Khakhau and the party’s chief whip in parliament, George Michalakis, illustrates the need to change mindsets and acknowledge Africa’s spirituality as a reality, moving away from the Western conception of spirituality, which accommodates Christian, Hindu, Buddhist or Islamic practices yet frowns on African spirituality.
Therefore, spirituality should not be equated solely with religious practices such as Christianity, which involves worshipping once a week on Sunday, or Islam, which requires praying five times a day at specific times.
The Khakhau incident raises a question about whether the leaders of political parties, even the most liberal ones like the DA, truly understand the realities of Africa and its people, as well as their spiritual beliefs.
The participation of African people in political parties is unconditioned.
In other words, they assimilate into the Euro-Christian capitalist culture that has created these political parties.
The reaction of the DA to what allegedly happened with Khakhau during a caucus meeting, where others alleged that she was even reprimanded and others went behind her back talking about the issue instead of going to her and asking her for an understanding, is that she was best located to clarify the African spiritual calling episode that she experienced.
However, people are now beginning to perceive the parliamentary setting as unwelcoming of African spirituality or any other perceived “otherness”.
Equally, it does not create space for free religious practices where, if you have an African spirituality calling, you may sit flat on the floor.
Such behaviour against the “norm” is considered unpleasant and unacceptable because it may violate parliamentary decorum.
As African people, we accept that individuals can sit flat on the floor, including on the ground during circular meetings in the lekgotla to discuss community issues, as long as nobody is standing; however, the values that permeate parliament and some meetings dictate that people should sit opposite each other around a rectangular table.
What Khakhau is alleged to have been subjected to is just a reflection of the dominant culture in the DA and other political parties generally, where you have:
a) gatekeepers of culture and conduct,
b) policemen of behaviour and etiquette, and
c) saints of what is good and bad.
What is even more shocking is that Michalakis has had to reprimand Khakhau regarding her seating pattern, despite being unaware of her spirituality, appropriate behaviour, or what he considers acceptable conduct.
Therefore, what the DA leader did expose is:
a) the continuous dominance of the Eurocentric culture;
b) the absence of recognition of other cultures and religious practices; and
c) looking at African spirituality with suspicion, even when the Constitution, which is a supreme law in this country, guarantees all of us the freedom of religion, freedom of
expression and equality before the law.
In this context, questioning someone who is experiencing an African spiritual episode may constitute a constitutional violation or infringement on that person’s rights.
• Raligilia is a senior lecturer in the department of jurisprudence at Unisa; Bokaba is a lecturer in the same department; and Shibambu is a lecturer in the department of law, safety and security management at Tshwane University of Technology. The authors write in their personal capacity
