Overview:

• State privilege is bestowed to Buddhism.

• Recognition and registration are differentiated, however, a degree of existential recognition is only bestowed to Buddhism while all other belief systems, their denominations, communities and organisations are only offered a semblance of recognition through the procedures of legal registration; as such, a system of partial recognition is in effect.

• The segmentation of the registration process between local, provincial and national government offices is censorial.

• The informational requirements requested of applicant religious groups are excessive and how this information needs to be provided to different levels of government is censorial.

• The rule of mandatory registration violates the Bielefeldt provision.

• The rule that those aged 16 and under cannot participate in church activities without parental approval is a violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Positive elements:

• Nil.

Recommendations:

• Complete dismantlement of the present restrictive apparatus that misuses recognition to the advantage of the government to control religious belief and practice of citizens.

• Repeal laws that call for mandatory registration and at local, provincial and national levels (segmentation).

• Remove all forms of subjective language in the legislation that is misused to restrict religious activity.