What an eventful year for this coven.

A few new faces appearing, older ones moving on and others moving back to the fold.

There is one brand new addition (to life and coven) and he is currently 8 months old.

We had visits from Astro Archeologist, Edmond Furter, Theosophists as well as from Rosichrucin in order to establish some inter faith work.

During the year we had pagans from other areas visit us and we showed them the beauty of the Lowveld... all the mountains, water streams and mist.

During the year we were also part of a TV documentary for the SABC on Pagans in our society.

We have our Saturday classes and on Friday nights our theosophy evenings. On the cards is classes for the young ones of the age of 6-14 years. The children's excitement about the path is growing by the day and so need some molding other wise their friends will think they are Harry Potter.

Our Lady Morgause, due to her commitment to marry people of this path, resulted in a few field trips to Johannesburg. While there we met Charles and family, Fallon and family, Dark Raven Morgiane, Lennie Swan, some traffic cops and then came back home. There was not enough time to meet every one we wanted to meet.

Some members of the coven also joined in outings to Mac-Mac pools, Lone Creek Waterfall, Pear Orchard and Kaapchehoop.

We are also blessed to have our own Kundaliny Yoga teacher.

Aurora, did Reiki Training, and brought some of the coven members to Reiki Masters in the Usui Tradition.

Our plans for the year ahead, is some more inter faith works, some more classes, sword discipline for Pagan and Pagan Children. Also to hold public festivals. Another is to get to know other Pagan's around that are not part of the day to day interaction of this coven.

Then the serious things, we are actively involved in the politics and education of our fellow people about Human Rights and how it effects the bigger community with our community in side there somewhere. We will keep this up. No child needs to be scared to go to school and being victimized just because they different. Members in the community must not be scared to show their face in fear of being called a witch and being stoned to death for it.

The coming year has it's own challenges, we are glad there is more time to enjoy more in life. To ALL out there, enjoy the year ahead.

I got a nice sticker for my car....There are more of us than you think!!!

In August 2010 I was invited to leave Cape Town, which sparked an amazing journey.

I packed my bags and headed to Hoggsback, situated in the mountains of the Eastern Cape.
In between falling inlove with the snow, mist and beautiful trees, I networked with the local healers, assisting them with the numerous TB and HIV/AIDS patients; assisted with teaching how to grow vegetables and started several vegetable gardens around the villages and dedicated 3 more students to Sacred Grove.

The 6 months I was there, was inspiring and I truly enjoyed working alongside gifted healers and people who really care about their community.

My travels then took me to Johannesburg, where I met a few of my online students and enjoyed the hospitality of their Pagan friends.

Next stop was Port Elizabeth. Even though I was only there for a few days, I managed to squeeze in a Handfasting, a Paganing and a Full Moon Ritual.

Kirkwood was my next stop. In the middle of several orange farms is a quaint little town, where the temperature on a good day is above 40 degrees. In between cold showers and melting I was asked to meet with the pastor of the local church, to speak to him about Paganism, Healing and the networking of different religions.

I somehow found time to continue writing my book and to update the Sacred Grove website.

Now I'm back in Cape Town, getting ready for the Love and Light Festival and looking forward to representing Sacred Grove at Africa Burns at the end of April.

Wishing everyone prosperity, good health and love

Rev. Brigitte Amon Angel'isa Kratz
Sacred Grove

SAPRA Annual Narrative Report

Executive Director's Report for the period January 2010 to January 2011

3.1. In January 2010 "specialist criminal attorney, journalist and political commentator" Michael Trapido suggested that witchcraft be made illegal in order to prevent accusations of witchcraft.

Michael Trapido wrote

"So until such time as someone can put forward a better suggestion for protecting people accused of witchcraft — and not the current law which makes it an offence to call someone a witch — legislation to make it a criminal offence to be a witch seems to be the only answer. In tandem that anyone now possessed of this legal channel to accuse witches, who practices self-help, be given the stiffest possible sentences available to a court faced with that charge. Denying some form of religious freedom is very ugly but what happened to an 81-year-old woman and many others like her is far uglier."

SAPRA contacted Trapido and issued a press release stating that the right to cultural prejudice against Witchcraft was not enshrined in our country's constitution.

"The right to life, liberty, equality, dignity and belief belongs to all South African citizens equally by virtue of birth. No South African citizen may commit murder, and no South African citizen may discriminate against Witches based on their own personal religious or cultural bias or prejudice. Any attempt to suppress witches, historically the object of religious oppression, in order to end witch-hunts is not only illogical, but devoid of all ethical legal sensibility. Suppressing Witches and Witchcraft in South Africa will not prevent further accusations of bewitchment against innocent citizens. On the contrary, it will encourage even more spurious accusations." [SAPRA]

3.2. SAPRA offered its condolences to the family of the murdered victim of witchcraft-violence, Badabukile Ndlovu, and called on all South Africans to support 30 days of advocacy against Witch-hunts in Africa from 29 March to 27 April 2010, to speak out against religious discrimination and Witchcraft-related Violence in Africa.

3.3. On 20 January SAPRA issued a supported statement condemning muti murders.

South African Witches and Wiccans condemn human mutilations (muti murders) and the illegal trade in human body parts for medicine and magic. Men, women and children are brutally mutilated and murdered by criminals who harvest human body parts for sale to traditional healers, sangomas and nyangas for use in alleged medicinal and magical cures across the African continent. South African Witches affirmed that we do not participate in such criminal activities and we strongly condemn both human mutilations and the illegal trade in human body parts. [SAPRA]

This statement was supported by the South African Pagan Council, Clan of Kheper Temple (Correllian Tradition), Clan of Mafdet (Correllian Tradition), Lunaguardia, Clan Ysgithyrwyn, The Grove, Pagan Freedom Day Movement, Penton Pagan Magazine, Pagan Federation International South Africa, Pretoria Pagan Social Group, Dream Weaver Pagan Community, Celestine Circle, Temple of the Midnight Sun, Temple of the Celestial Paths and non-aligned individuals.

3.4. On 5 February SAPRA responded to statements made by ANC provincial spokesman Mlibo Qoboshiyana with regard to his apparent allegations that witch-hunts and trafficking in human organs are perpetrated "in the name of witchcraft". SAPRA declared these statements to be misleading.

Witches do not engage in the trafficking of human organs, and we are not responsible for witch-hunts against innocent citizens. SAPRA called on the ANC-led government and members of the SAPS to respond appropriately and humanely to incidences of witchcraft-related violence and accusations of witchcraft by making the eradication of violence against suspected witches a national priority. SAPRA urged the SAPS to train local police to manage accusations of witchcraft which lead to violence in a way that affirms the dignity and humanity of those accused of practicing witchcraft, and to create victim support units to facilitate reintegration and conciliation of those wrongly accused of practicing witchcraft. We called on the South African government to adopt comprehensive public education and awareness programs aimed at eradicating the real causes of witchcraft accusations that do not seek to suppress Witchcraft, a constitutionally protected religion. [SAPRA]

3.5. On 8 February SAPRA lodged a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission against repeated libelous statements made by the national co-ordinator of the Traditional Healers Organization (THO), Phephisile Maseko, against South African Witches.

[1] "I can't speak for others, but our members are well-informed. They would never participate in muti killings and don't believe in it. We heal, we don't kill," she said. "I have heard reports of muti killings but I have never personally seen it. Those who do that are witches who don't belong to any organisation. They haven't been trained so they do as they please," she said. Phephisile Maseko
[2] She (Phephisile Maseko) said traditional healers who used body parts to make muti were not true healers, but "heartless witches". "How could a healer use body parts or remove somebody's body parts while the person is still alive? That means you are a witch, not a healer," she said.
[3] "Witchcraft is all about greed and jealousy... unless there are leaders in government, who are willing to lead the fight against witchcraft, legitimate traditional healers are not going to get over this hurdle." Phephisile Maseko

Maseko's repeated allegation that muthi murderers are "witches" practicing "witchcraft" remains untrue and defamatory. This Alliance demanded that the South African Human Rights Commission (1.) properly investigates repeated libelous allegations made by Phephisile Maseko against South African Witches, (2.) makes a ruling regarding the innocence of self-identified Witches with regard to allegations made by Maseko that we are responsible for the commission of muthi murders, and (3.) instructs the Traditional Healers Organization national coordinator to cease making libelous statements against South African Witches.

3.6. In a press release by the Department of Women, Youth, Children and People with Disabilities entitled 'Dept, healers declare war on muthi killings' dated 18 February 2010, spokesman Sibani Mngadi said

"while the subject of witchcraft continues to be taboo in many corners of South Africa, all stakeholders need to be involved in exposing perpetrators of this practice.... The Ministry is calling upon everyone who may be interested in contributing to the efforts to address this problem to contact the Ministry."

SAPRA requested the Department of Women, Youth, Children and People with Disabilities to acknowledge this Alliance as a stakeholder in any and all discussions concerning Witchcraft in South Africa in order to avoid the criminalization of Witches by government and traditional healers.

3.7. In August and September SAPRA appealed to the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRLC), to declare its commitment to ending witch-hunts and accusations of witchcraft in South Africa, appealing, in the spirit of human rights and justice, to address with concrete and immediate action, the alarming increase in violence against children and older women falsely accused of either being witches or of using witchcraft throughout the republic. Since 2007 SAPRA has collected numerous (and increasing) media reports of brutal witch-hunts from several provinces, and has since 2007 actively advocated against witchcraft-related violence through an annual 30 day advocacy campaign (29 March - 27 April).

3.8. In October SAPRA was informed by Adv. Anirudhra that the SAHRC has been approached by CGE and that Dr. Govender (SAHRC) is in support of a joint initiative between the CGE and SAHRC to begin to address the issue of witchcraft-related violence. No concrete action has been taken by either CGE or SAHRC since October.

3.9. On 4 August SAPRA lodged a complaint against Pastor Bertha Mphahlele (New Generation Church) with the SAHRC. The Alliance requested the SAHRC to investigate allegations against the New Generation Church and its Pastor Bertha Mphahlele for actively and fraudulently promoting fabricated accusations against Witchcraft that both prejudice real Witches and stigmatize innocent children.

Special Assignment's investigative documentary 'Troubled Souls', shown on SABC 1 on Sunday July 18 and re-aired on Tuesday July 20 on SABC 3, explored the distribution of recorded and alleged confessions of Witchcraft by the New Generation Church (Healing and Deliverance Ministries - Liberating humanity from all the oppression of the Devil) in Lenting village, Limpopo. Its founding spiritual leader, Pastor Bertha Mphahlele, stands accused by victims of her Witchcraft confession scams of offering salvation in exchange for coached confessions of having engaged in alleged Witchcraft activities, including false confessions of murder, human mutilation and cannibalism. Mphahlele claims she simply desires to deliver her congregation from evil spirits and Witchcraft.

3.10. In September the South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC) informed this Alliance that 'Project 135: The Review of Witchcraft Legislation' was approved by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development.

3.11. On 19 January SAPRA condemned accusations made by educators and pupils of ES Malele and Mosipa secondary schools and Lehlasedi and Ben Matlhosa High Schools in Mpumalanga, and published in The Times, that witchcraft was the cause of poor exam performance.

SAPRA called on both the national and regional Department of Education to affect suitable measures to ensure that competent principles and educators were employed at these schools.

Children must be taught to take responsibility for their own actions and not be encouraged to seek to scapegoat Witchcraft for their own failures. The Department of Basic Education must take responsibility to ensure that competent, responsible principles and educators are employed and learners should take responsibility for their own actions and not hide their failures behind excuses and superstitions. [SAPRA]

Morgause Fonteleve and Luke Martin handed a formal letter of objection from SAPRA to the Mpumalanga Department for Safety, Security and Liaison against the allegations made by the principles of ES Malele and Mosipa Secondary Schools and Lehlasedi and Ben Matlhosa High Schools.

prepared by Morgause Fonteleve
(SAPRA Chief Executive Officer)

All Rights Reserved.

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