New Film Released in South Africa Honors the Country's Scientology Volunteer Ministers for Their Help

South African premiere of the feature-length documentary Operation: Do Something About It shines light on the work of the country's Scientology Volunteer Ministers

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa and LOS ANGELES, Dec. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Government officials and community, religious and business leaders packed the auditorium at Castle Kyalami, continental headquarters of the Church of Scientology, for an awards ceremony and the African premiere of the new film Operation: Do Something About It. The film honors the Scientology Volunteer Ministers for their service throughout the pandemic and their continued help today. And South African Volunteer Ministers play a central role in the documentary.

Presenting awards to the Volunteer Ministers were the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department, the National Disaster Management Centre, the City of Ekurhuleni and Gauteng Departments of Social Development, and the nonprofit South African Council for Graduates.

The Gauteng Department of Social Development commended the volunteers who "provided disaster relief as well as social and spiritual support to health care workers and the broader community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond across the entire Gauteng province." 

Through the pandemic, South Africa's Volunteer Ministers contributed millions of volunteer hours on the frontlines, working with authorities to curb the spread of the virus. They decontaminated some 70,000 buildings, from hospitals, clinics and senior centers to government offices, police departments, fire houses and their ambulances, and transportation hubs. They protected the health of millions using the nation's taxis and buses each day.

The film captures the Volunteer Ministers' unwavering commitment to helping and supporting communities in need, carrying out the vision of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard for the program and creating a better society for all.

Volunteer Ministers have experienced remarkable growth over the past four years. The Volunteer Ministers of South Africa have enrolled more than a half million individuals on Tools for Life Courses. Nearly 25,000 have become full-fledged Volunteer Ministers, having completed all 19 courses.

In developing the program in the mid-1970s, Mr. Hubbard described the Volunteer Minister as "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." The documentary is based on the motto he created for the program, that no matter the circumstances "Something can be done about it." Their creed is: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."  

Watch Operation: Do Something About It on the Scientology Network, airing on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and streaming at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 237 countries and territories in 17 languages.

Satisfying the curiosity of people about Scientology and Founder L. Ron Hubbard, the network takes viewers across six continents, spotlighting the everyday lives of Scientologists, showing the Church as a global organization, and presenting its social betterment programs that have touched the lives of millions worldwide.

SOURCE Church of Scientology International