As campaigning intensifies, some churches in South Africa have been turned into electioneering battlegrounds as politicians attempt to woo voters ahead of the May 29 polls.
When President Cyril Ramaphosa attended the Good Friday service at the Eagle church in Mangaung, Bloemfontein, on Friday as part of the ANC’s Easter campaign programme, he asked the congregation to pray for the government, for peaceful elections and the Electoral Commission of South Africa IEC.
Addressing congregants at the 10am service Ramaphosa said: “We are here to say that we would like the church to pray to strengthen the work we are doing. The second part of what brings us here is that we should pray for peaceful elections.”
Ramaphosa’s predecessor, Jacob Zuma, visited the church of popular apostle Moosa Joshua Mohlala in Phillipi for a service-themed “Prophetic Pillowcase” earlier in March. The former president received a warm welcome at the church and was given a special chair. He also had a white fluffy carpet laid out for him on the stage.
The DA in KwaZulu-Natal led by provincial leader Francois Rodgers attended Newholmes Christian Fellowship church in Northdale on Friday.
“We are quite happy with what we have got on the ground. For the first time, we have two provincial campaigns. One is that of the premier [candidate] run by uMngeni mayor Chris Pappas, and then there is the provincial leader’s campaign,” he said.
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