WATCH | A peek into the rituals at SA's first satanic church

Drinking blood, performing animal sacrifices and casting spells are not on the programme at Satan's new home in the popular seaside tourist town of Ballito on the KwaZulu-Natal  north coast.

Instead, satanists belonging to SA's first registered satanic church will be participating in rituals likened to “group therapy”.

“Our members are pharmacists and teachers and hold very high positions in the community. They are not people dressed in black running around doing criminals things. We use symbols in our rituals.

“If anger is the reason why all your personal relationships are failing, you would write what makes you angry on a piece of paper, but it must be done with intent, and we will then burn the paper in the flame of a candle,” said SA Satanic Church founder Riaan Swiegelaar.

The rituals, which include reverse baptisms and Bible study, will take place in a conference centre at a hotel from September, when the church is officially launched.

The Satanic Bible is a collection of essays, observations and rituals published by Anton LaVey in 1969.

“There are many differences between the Christian Bible and the Satanic Bible. The Satanic Bible is more like a self-help book. There are no rules to follow and there is no mythology. It is not a story told in the voice of Satan. It has philosophies one can use in daily life.”

The movement plans to translate the Satanic Bible into Afrikaans because just under 50% of its members are Afrikaans-speaking South Africans.

Registered as a non-profit company under the category of a religious organisation, the SA Satanic Church is given the same status as churches, mosques and synagogues. It is exempt from taxes and can host public events.

There are two online petitions calling for the movement to disband.

Thando Gawe believes the church is destroying morals so he is lobbying for its deregistration by starting an online petition.

As the chairperson of the SA Youth Business Forum, Gawe, who is based in Johannesburg, said the church was trying to attract the youth by claiming to have celebrities and high-profile South Africans as members.

“We are disturbed by this initiative. Under its name and banner it shouldn’t be allowed to operate because it's satanic.”