King Cetshwayo District Municipality mayor, Thami Ntuli, hosted the third annual District Prayer at Mzingazi under uMfolozi Local Municipality on Tuesday for social ills such as gender-based violence (GBV), drug abuse and the high unemployment rate.
The municipality said that over 49 leaders from different churches, congregants and the community at large gathered in prayer.
Mayor Ntuli said that this is the third year that the municipality has consecutively been hosting this successful and productive prayer within the district.
“We always get together for a prayer around this time of the year, especially as we draw closer to Good Friday which is on March 29, 2024. This is to pray away various social ills currently faced by our communities,” said Ntuli.
Ntuli added that this year’s prayer is of great importance – to pray for fair and safe elections as the country is heading towards the national and provincial elections at the end of May.
“As we approach the elections, we wish to pray for safe, peaceful and violence-free elections. While doing this, we also pray for restoration of hope to those who are currently suffering from life’s different challenges and struggles, letting them know that there is still light at the end of the tunnel.”
IFP Women’s Brigade national chairperson, Princess Phumzile Buthelezi, said that the rise of GBV in South Africa, if not checked, will not only have permanent adverse effects on the lives of survivors.
“It will also erode the country’s much-needed human resources. We call on the government to recognise that it has lost the war against crime in our country and that its strategy to fight GBV must be overhauled, all social challenges currently faced by people can be solved on the 29 May.”
The Mercury