Adrian Williams – witch in parliament

The article on page 6 of “Sunday Times” 9 August 2009 refers:

Mixing politics and witchcraft

Buyekezwa Makwabe

http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=1047120

Published:Aug 08, 2009

NICER WITCH: ANC MP Adrian Williams outside parliament and the pentagram he put on the day he was sworn in Pictures:

His pagan name is Malachite and he belongs to the Coven of the Silver Sickle.

Meet Adrian Williams, the only pentacle-wearing witch in parliament.

But the card-carrying ANC and South African Communist Party member, 43, from Mpumalanga has renounced the terms “witch” and “witchcraft” because he maintains the issue needs to be treated with sensitivity in South Africa.

Williams practices “magick”, but calls himself a pagan or eclectic wiccan. “Eclectic means that I don’t follow any specific tradition — where they have a way of dressing, they cast their circle in a particular way. I don’t have any particular way of invoking.

“I don’t call myself a witch. I distance myself from those terms because they are highly offensive to the vast majority of people in this country.

“In South Africa, a witch is someone who comes into your house, kills your children and cuts off their genitalia.”

When he was sworn in as a member of parliament in April, he put on his pentacle ring and has not removed it since. South Africa’s liberal laws protect him and wearing a pentacle is like wearing a cross to work, he said.

He described his chosen religion as nature-based — and about love and tolerance. “I believe in the God and the Goddess and the elements: the air, the fire, the earth, the water and the spirit. I believe that the devil exists in as much as I believe that a coat hanger exists. I don’t worship the coat hanger and don’t worship the devil,” he said.

Williams, who thinks there is much to be learnt from traditional healers, went to Christian schools and refers to his girlfriend as an “ordinary” person.

Asked if South Africa would ever be ready for “witches”, he said: “It’s like 20 years ago — if you had asked someone in the ANC if they ever thought they would be in parliament.

“If an effort is made ... and the effort needs to be made by pagans ... who else can liberate that word (witch) but pagans?”

Pagan rights groups have asked the South African Law Reform Commission to consider repealing the Witchcraft Suppression Act of 1957. It prohibits knowledge or the practice of witchcraft, criminalises the accusation of others as witches — as well as the practicing of divination.

Damon Leff, convener of the South African Pagan Rights Alliance, said the 1957 act institutionalized prejudice against witchcraft and instead of stemming witch-hunts, it fuelled them.

But Williams said the rights groups were being “arrogant”. He said self-defined witches should be sensitive to the majority of South Africans and their beliefs.

“Go to Limpopo and declare that you’re a witch and see how long you survive,” he said.

Asked to comment on the Witchcraft Suppression Act, he said: “It does not undermine any right except the right to define yourself.

“I just think it’s very arrogant of white pagans in South Africa to push for rights they know will be detrimental to the majority. It would be ideal if we could change the perception of what witchcraft is.”

As former Convener of the SAPC I hereby wish to remind fellow Council Members of our stand in the face of this public statement by an individual pagan. It is Williams who chose to use the diminutive form of “Pagan”.
Williams states that he is a “pagan” who belongs to the “coven of the silver sickle”. Pagans in RSA are fighting for the reclamation of Witchcraft and Paganism in SA. That is why we capatilise the word “Pagan”. Paganism is an official religion in RSA, the SAPC is a registered religion in RSA in terms of the SARS Act. We furthermore have registered “Reverends” with Home Affairs who are legally entitled to perform Civil Unions in terms of the Civil Union Act. These factors make Paganism “ipso facto” an official religion. This includes the religion of Witchcraft.
Williams’ hypocrisy shines through by admitting that he belongs to a “coven”. This term is used by modern Witches and Wiccans in Neo-Paganism. He furthermore self-identifies as a Wiccan. This is nothing less than a “witch”. It is delusional and hypocritical to call SA Pagans “arrogant” for using the word “witch” when he himself is in fact a self confessed witch. Who is he trying to fool? Does Williams truly believe that practicing what he calls “detrimental to the majority” and then denying it will somehow make him acceptable to the majority? What will the “majority” say when they realize that he is hiding his true colours behind falsehood? Williams states that “If an effort is made ... and the effort needs to be made by pagans ... who else can liberate that word (witch) but pagans?”
Then he proceeds to call “white pagans in South Africa” ARROGANT.
This is utter hypocrisy. On the one hand he states that we should reclaim it, and then he calls it arrogant and “renounces” it!
Furthermore, Williams’ racist nature is demonstrated by the above comment. The SAPC has got, Indian, Black and Coloured members. Williams’ ignorance or refusal to acknowledge reality to further his personal agenda ,is hereby exposed.
Williams belongs to a “coven” – this is witchcraft.
He calls himself a “Wiccan” – this is witchcraft.
He wears a Pagan pentacle used by Witches – this is witchcraft.
THEN HE RENOUNCES WITCHCRAFT PUBLICALLY IT AND CALLS WHITE SA PAGANS ARROGANT!!!

My opening statement at the SAPC Conference of 2007 was:

MINUTES -SAPC Conference

8 September 2007
Venue: Theosophical Society in Melville, Jhb.
Chairperson: Luke Martin
Gen Secretary: Enmarie Potgieter
Minutes: Morgause with amendments by delegates

Luke Martin: Brief introduction, greetings. "This is a conference of Witches for Witches".
Williams was at this conference of Witches, as a witch.
He attempted to espouse his so-called stance at the conference, I quote from the minutes:

Adrian Williams: Proposed we release the terms “witch” and “witchcraft” in the interests of spirituality and ask for international support from Pagans abroad to do the same in an act of solidarity.
Unrest in the house.
Luke Martin: Those in favor of relinquishing the words witch and witchcraft please raise their hands.
Nine delegates raised their hands:

9/61 – Minority

The opinion of Williams was rejected.

The outcome of the above vote and subsequent discussion at the 2007 SAPC Conference became known as “The Melville Mandate”.

I quote again from the minutes:
Damon Leff: Cannot criminalize any group on basis of terminology. Government must look at preventing crime.
Enmarie Potgieter: The Act has been a blessing and a bane. We stood up in the media. We must not step back. We cannot compromise in what we are. Don’t back down now! We want to be called Witches.
Luke Martin: Explained to Dr. Motshekga the earlier vote and the overwhelming majority for the reclamation of the word Witch.
Dr. Motshekga: It’s important that you state your objectives clearly. The Public has the right to know.
Ian: We must get the Government to understand that there are two types of Witchcraft. We must get them to understand our brand of it, so we don’t fall under the wrong one.

The SAPC publicly renounces Adrian Williams as a hypocrite of the highest order. He has no standing whatsoever in the SA Pagan community, yet he takes it upon himself to renounce the legally and officially recognized religion of Paganism (inc Witchcraft) in SA. This is extreme prejudice, hypocrisy and a violation of the Bill of Rights. The SAPC distances itself from Adrian Williams and states for the record that he in no way represents anyone in the SA Pagan community.

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Sunday Times
fax: 021 488 1778
or email:
MakwabeB@avusa.co.za

Please have a look at MEDIA KITS FOR THE PRESS for assistance in how to address the press correctly.
http://www.pagancouncil.co.za/files/MediaKitPress.pdf

Please feel free to post your comments on this page.
BB
Luke Martin
Former Convener.

The SAPC Forums have been described by many as a “tough” place. We have since tried to discourage attacks on people. This current thread, however, is an EXCEPTION!

The following statement warrants this exception to the rule

"...the Constitution is not the supreme law in this country - the will of the majority is the supreme law. And me and 40 million blacks will do what we like - you had better get used to it, and relax into the pain..." Adrian Williams in an email to Charles of the SAPC.

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