At a time when global systems are faltering under the weight of deepening inequality, ecological collapse, and spiritual fatigue, the International Symposium on Global Justice and Solidarity gathered voices of conscience from across the world at the University of Cape Town.

Delivering his keynote address, Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa of Kokstad and Chairperson of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) Social Action Department, called for bold moral leadership, especially from Africa, to meet the crises of our age.

“We gather not as a formality, but as a moral necessity,” Bishop Mbuyisa declared. “At this moment of global fracture—when inequality widens, debt suffocates, creation groans, and the future of millions of children hangs in the balance—Africa has a prophetic role to play.”

The Monday, June 23, address comes at a pivotal moment as South Africa assumes the Presidency of the G20, a platform often dominated by economic interests. For Bishop Mbuyisa, a member of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill (CMM), this moment must go beyond geopolitics and be embraced as a “kairos moment”—a sacred opportunity for the continent to lead a moral reimagining of global priorities.

A Prophetic Voice from Africa

Drawing inspiration from Pope Francis’s Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ on care for our common home, Bishop Mbuyisa reminded participants that the ecological and social crises are not separate:

“They are two sides of the same spiritual crisis. The ecological devastation we see is mirrored in the breakdown of human solidarity.”

He further cited Fratelli Tutti, warning against blind faith in market systems to solve human problems. “The marketplace, by itself, cannot resolve every problem… the fragility of world systems in the face of the pandemic has demonstrated that not everything can be resolved by market freedom,” he quoted.

The bishop’s call resonated deeply with the Symposium’s delegates, many of whom came from faith-based, academic, and civil society sectors. His message was not just a critique—it was a constructive vision for the G20 and beyond:

• An economy centred on people and planet, not profit
• Debt relief framed as a matter of justice, not charity
• School meals, education, and climate resilience elevated as non-negotiable global priorities

Inspired by the Church’s Social Teaching

Referencing the recent election of Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Mbuyisa found renewed encouragement in the Church’s evolving witness:

“His very name evokes the courage and conviction of Pope Leo XIII, the pioneer of Catholic social teaching,” he said. “Pope Leo XIV has already signalled a deep commitment to the Church’s mission in Africa, calling for ‘a renewed architecture of solidarity that binds the destiny of nations to the dignity of every person.’”

It is this architecture of solidarity, rooted in the Gospel and animated by Catholic Social Teaching, that Bishop Mbuyisa believes must now influence global institutions, including the G20.

From Cape Town to the World: A New Covenant of Solidarity

In concluding his address, Bishop Mbuyisa urged participants not to settle for comfortable conversations or political caution. He said, “Let our voices not be whispers of concern, but trumpets of conscience.”

“Let our vision not be restrained by what is politically convenient but inspired by what is morally right. Let us carry forward from Cape Town a new covenant of solidarity—binding the dignity of our peoples to the decisions of our leaders,” he added.