23/10/2026
2026 Chaplain General’s Symposium || Day 2.
On 20 October 2026, the second day of the 2026 Chaplain General’s Symposium commenced with a devotion led by Reverend Z.E. Radebe, who quoted 1 Kings 18:30 and reflected on the biblical story of the Prophet Elijah confronting King Ahab and the prophets of Baal.
His devotion linked the account to social and religious concerns, particularly in South Africa, highlighting social ills, the Church’s loss of deeper discipleship, and the need for spiritual revival.
He concluded with three practical applications: humility before God, reviving personal and communal altars through holy living, and national repentance and prayer. He cited 2 Chronicles 7:14 as a promise that God will heal the land when people humble themselves and seek Him.
Touching on the theme of this year’s symposium, “Commanders of the Intangible Combat Power – Healing the Healers,” Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, a guest presenter at the symposium, stated that chaplains are healers who must themselves be healed to serve effectively.
He emphasised that chaplains need a deep spiritual life, formal ecclesial authorisation where applicable, theological grounding for their mission, and openness to change through being rooted in Jesus. He concluded that the full answer to healing healers comes from Jesus acting through ministers, rather than from a single human authority.
Dr Amon Kasambala, a guest speaker at the symposium, also addressed the theme, focusing on how chaplains can sustain their spiritual, emotional, relational and moral well-being, as well as their resilience.
Using Elijah’s story, he illustrated burnout and recovery while emphasising that healers are human beings who need rest, delegation and support.
He offered practical recommendations, including identifying the causes of distress, self-evaluation, acceptance, spiritual restoration, rest, seeking a spiritual director or mentor, attending to physical and emotional health, building a support team, and setting boundaries.
The South African National Defence Force Chaplain General, Brigadier General (Father) E.T. Masweu, presented the Chaplain General’s Ministry Intent, framing chaplaincy as a strategic programme for the moral and spiritual health of the Defence Force.
His address reviewed the purpose, vision and mission of the Chaplain Service, emphasising spiritual, ethical and social resilience. He also outlined ten strategic focus areas, including inclusive religious ministry, specialist pastoral care and resilience, combat and operational readiness, deployment and family preparation, church-state covenants, discipline and misconduct management, training and career development, local social projects, media and editorial conduct, and facilities and asset care.
The Chaplain General stressed accountability, including security clearances and church approval for reserve deployments, as well as mandatory participation in courses and deployments. He highlighted the need for chaplains to strengthen their identity and professional standards, establish support structures for families and recruits, and prioritise their personal well-being.
Other expectations included timely reporting, respect for church authority, consequence management for misconduct, and proactive leadership in developing a chaplain school and its facilities.
The address concluded with pastoral encouragement and an open invitation for chaplains to seek help directly from the Chaplain General when facing deep personal challenges.
The day also included fraternal greetings from chaplains from Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. On this day, chaplains were dressed in their clerical attire.
📝Article and 📸photographs by Mihlali Matiwane || Chaplain Service Division.
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