Matale, of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and Oikotree, was the keynote speaker at the relaunch of the ZacTax Campaign in Africa, held on 20 May, at the Mannah Conference Center in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The event offered faith-rooted African perspectives on just taxation and reparations; and shared concrete proposals to advance corporate and wealth taxation as well as social and ecological reparations.
“Taxation is a tool for enacting the conversion of Zacchaeus in our financial systems which till now funnels resources to the most powerful and wealthy,” said Athena Peralta, programme executive for economic and ecological justice at the World Council of Churches. “It is the most effective way to raise resources to respond to today’s polycrises – not least climate change – which disproportionately hurt the poor and vulnerable.”
“The point is: the Earth belongs to God, and we are simply stewards. We believe that economic policies should foster sustainability,” said Mandla Mbongeni Hadebe, of the Economic Justice Network of FOCCISA.
“Hundreds of millions of dollars are lost each year by mining companies’ avoidance and evasion in sub-Saharan Africa,” Hadebe said. “As churches, we must make it our duty to follow the money and know detailed information about mining contracts, including their true costs and benefits. Through the ZacTax campaign I hope we will be able to do this.”
Source : WCC
