Prayer NY 56 community members had a prayer meeting after noticing a lot of crime incidents in their street. The prayer was also called to bring Ubuntu back to Gugulethu.
Image: Phiri Cawe
Residents of NY 56 in Gugulethu and pastors from different churches conducted an interfaith service on Friday evening, February 28, to pray for peace following shootings in the area.
Organiser Pam Jele said they were seeking divine intervention to stop crime.
She said it pained her to see young people dying like flies while they could do something positive with their lives.
“This is another way of coming together to fight crime. We have called on pastors to connect us with the higher echelons of heaven.”
Ms Jele urged residents to report crime no matter how petty it may be.
She said the community needs to have trust in the police.
The service, which was attended by a large section of the community including victims of crime and grieving families, aimed to bring back the spirit of Ubuntu in Gugulethu.
A community member, who asked not to be named as she feared for her safety, said it was about time that people asked God to intervene.
She said commended the organisers of the service.
“It is good seeing community members coming together this way. It is not all the time that we meet for such a positive vibe. We always come when one is dead but now we are to try to prevent deaths. I say big up to the organisers.”
Reverend Lutho Tsotso, in his opening prayer, shared a scripture and encouraged residents to support each other.
He said it was important to trust God in times like these where people were dying and crime was rife.
Different pastors took turns to pray and candles were lit at the end of the service.
The crowd moved to other streets praying for and preaching peace.