Religious leaders pray for Tshwane ahead of council meeting
A group of politicians and religious leaders held a prayer session at Tshwane House on Monday amid the ongoing battle for control of the capital city.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is battling to keep control of the city, with the African National Congress and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) making various attempts to remove mayor Stevens Mokgalapa and the party from power.
Local reverend, Dr Thembelani Jentile, said community members are suffering but it seems leaders and politicians do not care.
"It's because we can't breathe. We can't breathe anymore we are suffering, we are struggling. We are right at the frontline of poverty in our townships and we can't take it anymore.
"It gets worse when whilst we are struggling politicians are playing this ping-pong game. You are taking each other to court and back to court and we are thinking that there are kids that are sleeping in community halls as we are here. There are people sleeping in churches whilst we are here".
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Jentile warned political parties that members of the community will be sitting in the gallery to observe the council proceedings.
"Tomorrow we may be here to protest however we know that prayer can be a form of activism and it can be a form of action. We are not just here to pass time, we are to make a statement that we are watching you.
"We are prayerfully watching what will be happening here on Thursday, because all we seek it is the peace and the prosperity of this city because we know if this city prospers, we will prosper."
Jentile said they will act should council not act in accordance to "God’s will".
"You don't know what we are capable of if things are not done properly in this city and God’s will is not followed in this city.
"We are praying for this city. We are praying for our leaders."