Prayer for South Africa

The faithful pray for corruption, poverty to end

Corruption, poverty, political conflicts and unemployment emerged as some of the main worries for South Africans who gathered at the FNB Stadium for a National Day of Prayer yesterday.

About 50 000 churchgoers, clad in their church garb and uniforms, attended the event.

Organised by mining magnate Patrice Motsepe’s Motsepe Foundation, the interfaith prayer event was dominated by the Zion Christian Church. The ZCC sent more than 30 000 members to the event. They filled more than half of the stadium.

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who couldn’t make it to the event, delivered a recorded message that was broadcast at the event.

Tutu said South Africa “had not done as well” as it should have as a few people have become very rich, while others were still trapped in poverty and lived in “shacks, squalor and filthy conditions”.

The event was also attended by ANC presidential hopefuls Cyril Ramaphosa, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Lindiwe Sisulu and Jeff Radebe.

Moosa Leak, 17, came all the way from Eastridge in Cape Town to attend the event.

“It was amazing. I’m praying for unity among all South Africans and also to ask for rain, which we really need in Cape Town,” he said.

Eldah Thobejane, 24, of Johannesburg said yesterday’s event was more like a church service. “I think for us to prosper as a nation, we first need to get along ... at the moment politics create conflicts.”

Thabo Qalazive of the St John’s Church in Meadowlands, Soweto, said prayer was necessary as SA was witnessing conflicts, “especially in politics and in parliament”.

“I am personally here to pray for peace to reign, and once there’s peace we can be able to end poverty.”

Alulutho Koki from Roodepoort on the West Rand, said: “I’m here to pray for poverty and unemployment to end.”

More than 20 churches from across South Africa were also represented. Speakers included Rhema Bible Church’s Ray McCauley and South African Council of Church’s Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana.

Mpumlwana prayed against “the culture of corruption, greed and self interest”.

McCauley preached about poverty, corruption and violence against women and children.

/ MDUDUZI NDZINGI National Day of Prayer at the Soccer City Stadium in Nasrec, Johannesburg yesterday.

/ MDUDUZI NDZINGI The inter-faith prayer event at FNB Stadium yesterday was dominated by the Zion Christian Church, whose members numbered up to 30 000.

/ KABELO MOKOENA ZCC congregants were among thousands who attended the National Day of Prayer meeting at FNB Stadium.

Worshippers from all walks of life attended the gathering organised by the Motsepe Foundation in Johannesburg yesterday.