Freedom of Religion SA rejects claims made by CRL Rights Commission’s chairperson

JOHANNESBURG - Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA) has rejected claims made by Cultural, Religious and Linguistic (CRL) Rights Commission chairperson Thokoza Mkhwanazi-Xaluva.

It’s accused her of leveraging her position to acquire R1.5 million in funds from the National Lotteries Commission (NLC).

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During a media briefing in Braamfontein, Thokoza Mkhwanazi-Xaluva announced that she would be opening a criminal case against the organisation.

She said she's suffered slander and insult as a result of the allegations made by the organisation.

Mkhwanazi-Xaluva claims that FOR SA had been using various social media platforms to spread misinformation about her and the CRL Rights Commission.

She said that Michael Swain, the executive director of FOR SA, had made allegations that she helped the Cheryl Zondi Foundation get R1.5 million in funding from the NLC.

According to FOR SA, this was a conflict of interest because Mkhwanazi-Xaluva was, at the time, serving as deputy chair of the foundation and the commission.

But Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said this was not true.

"I don’t want to personally respond to FOR SA and Michael Swain. I want him to respond in court when he’s being asked what do you base these things on. The onus is on him to prove that I installed myself as the deputy chair of the Cheryl Zondi Foundation."

Meanwhile, FOR SA said there was no substance to the criminal case Mkhwanazi-Xaluva was pursuing.

It added that it would be seeking legal advice on how to deal with the defamatory statements she has made against Swain and the organisation.