Genesis
The Ecumenical Service for Socio-Economic Transformation (ESSET) was born in out of a series of discussions convened by the Justice Ministry Department of the South African Council of Churches. The initial impetus for these workshops was the need to discuss the implications of the lifting of sanctions against South Africa by the international community and the resultant need for a code of ethics on investment in South Africa”
It was registered as a Section 21 company in July 1996 with the South African Council of Churches (SACC), Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), Institute for Contextual Theology (ICT), Ecumenical Foundation of Southern Africa (EFSA), Ecumenical Advice Bureau (EAB), Christian Citizenship Department of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa and the Interdenominational Committee for Industrial Mission (ICIM) being its founding members.
From the onset ESSET was seen as a service of the churches for the churches and society towards the attainment of economic justice in the country. Theologically ESSET was founded on the belief that economics is a matter of fundamental concern to the Christian faith, and on the affirmation that “the vision of the wholeness of life, God’s preferential option for the poor, and responsible stewardship towards all creation.
It remains an independent ecumenical organisation working for social and economic justice. It is structurally independent of any other formation with its governing board having the final say over its mandate and operations. In the final sense it derives its mandate from the mission and commitment to socio-economic justice for the poor and marginalized and is ultimately accountable to the same.
It is neither a church nor a membership based organisation. It however locates its praxis within the prophetic church tradition and struggles for social and economic justice in South Africa and globally. It recognizes the broader ecumenical movement with its tradition of working for justice and a global network of passion for justice as a key partner in the implementation of its programmes. |
