Poverty has continued to be a huge challenge in the post-apartheid South Africa, despite some interventions from the government, civil societies and religious organizations. The persistent increase in poverty raises critical questions about how interventions to address this challenge have been effective. Among other things, the country’s poverty situation reveals that something is missing in its approaches to addressing it. This article investigates the theological and ecclesial implications of the poverty crisis, arguing the need for the church to critically reexamine its role and witness in combating the problem. Drawing on the Confession of Belhar, mainly from Article 4, which asserts God’s solidarity with the poor and the oppressed, the article argues for the need for the church’s engagement with poverty to be rooted in renewed theological conviction. Article 4 of the Belhar Confession calls the church not only to solidarity with the poor but also to prophetically acting against systemic injustice and social–economic marginalization. The article discusses the causes of poverty in post-apartheid South Africa and argues that the church must look back to the Belhar Confession not just as a historical document but also as a guide for addressing all forms of injustice in a changing context. The article encourages the church in post-apartheid Africa to reclaim its prophetic identity and renew its commitment to economic justice.
Patrick Nanthambwe (Sat,) studied this question.