SAPC TIMELINE

21 December 2006
SAPC founding meeting- LV Martin, Morgause Fonteléve, Enmarie Potgieter, Damon Leff - SAPC Chartered.

4 May 2007
Dissemination of Mpumalanga Witchcraft Supression Bill 2007.

12 July 2007
LV Martin (SAPC) and Traditional Healers Org meeting with Mpumalanga Legislature, objections to 2007 WS Bill tendered.

16 July 2007
SAPC Petition tendered to Mpumalanga Legislature.

8 September 2007
SAPC National Conference - First national conference of most SA Pagan groups in South Africa. Melville, Johannesburg. Formulation of "Melville Mandate" - The reclamation of Witchcraft as a Religion, the abolishmnet of the 1957 Witchcraft Suppression Act and the Mpumalanga Draft WS Bill 2007, Pagans to actively challenge the Media for the promotion of Paganism as a Religion.

18 September 2007
SAPC meets with "Lawyers for Human Rights" in Pretoria - LHR accepts SAPC as clients for the 1957 WSA and the 2007 Draft WS Bill.

17 January 2008
SAPC Exec Council meets with the Lawyers for Human Rights and the Traditional Healers Organisation in Pretoria - discuss common causes.

8 March 2008
SAPC registered with Home Affairs as a Religious Organisation for the purposes of Marriage Officers.

8 May 2008
South Africa's first Pagan Religious Marriage Officer (RMO) is appointed by Home Affairs.

23 May 2008
SAPC first amendment to constitution.

11 June 2008
Mpumalanga halts the proposed Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill, letter received from MEC and National Minister via the Lawyers for Human Rights.

4 September 2008
SAPC Exec Council meets with Law Reform Commission in Pretoria, SAPC represented by Lawyers for Human Rights. Law Reform Commission to investigate the case against the Witchcraft Suppression Act 1957 on behalf of SAPC.

10 October 2008
SAPC designated by SA Revenue Services as a Public Benefit Organisation under section 30 of the Act:

5. Religion, Belief or Philosophy
a) The promotion or practice of religion which encompasses acts of worship, witness, teaching and community service based on a belief in a deity.

Marks the first official and legal recognition of Paganism as a religion in Africa.

31 October 2008
First legal Pagan handfasting of the SAPC.
see press clippings.

30 November 2009
SAPC becomes member of SAFCEI