With escalating crime and drought affecting the province, the New Crossroads Ministry Forum held a prayer gathering on Sunday February 25 to seek a divine intervention and call for unity among people.
Scores of people from different religious and faith-based organisations who converged on Ndlovini Hall to pray together, condemned persistent crimes against women in the area.
Last year alone, eight women from the area were brutally killed, many of them by their boyfriends or former boyfriends, and in some cases, in front of their children, the organisation said.
Secretary of the forum, Apostle John Sawutana, said in light of that, the forum had decided to organise an inclusive prayer gathering.
“Killings and drugs have been a problem here. In fact, crime in the area has reached alarming heights. We had a horrible year last year, where girl children were brutally killed.
“I have a child that was close to me who that was also killed. Crime affects not only me but affects all of us,” he said. One of the organisers, Nonyikima Mene, said crime levels in the area were “shocking” and unlike anything she has experienced before.
In light of this, Ms Mene called on everyone to join the fight against crime. “We used to live in peace in our areas. This is new to most of us seniors.
“But as black people, we believe when something is wrong, we turn to the Almighty.When rain is scarce, we climb the highest mountain and pray. That is the reason we had to call a prayer meeting. God is our shield from bad things,” she explained.
Ms Mene said the prayer meeting was also about asking for forgiveness.
“Maybe we have sinned. We have angered God. This is our opportunity to humble ourselves before the Almighty,” she said.
Councillor Luvuyo Zondani urged the congregants to pray for moral regeneration and harmony. He said there was a lot of unrest in Gugulethu and other areas-and that required prayer.
“We should also pray for peace and order in our area. Protesters are causing havoc. Let us please work together in the fight against this unrest. I am not saying people should not protest, but they should do that in a peaceful manner. Let us not destroy what we have,” he said. Mr Zondani promised to do all he could to fight crime and the decay of the moral fibre of his community. “It is a pity that not everyone got the notice (of the event) early. But come next year or in the middle of this year, we should embark on a massive campaign to revive ubuntu and moral regeneration. We should take to the streets in the fight against crime,” said Mr Zondani.
