Displaying items by tag: South Africa

Pray With Youth – 22 September 2019

http://praywithyouth.com/

Save North Korean Refugees Day - 24 Sept 2019

www.nkfreedom.org

10 Days - 24-7 Virtual Prayer Gathering - 29 Sep - 9 Oct 2019
www.10days.net

United Prayer Rising – South Africa – 4-6 October 2019

www.uprising-south-africa.org

South East Asia Prayer Council Conference – 8-11 October 2019

https://www.seaprayer2019singapore.org/

Hindu World 15 Days of Prayer - 20 Oct - 3 Nov 2019

www.15daysprayer.com

Go 2020 Prayer Gatherings - 1^stMay 2020

https://www.go2020.world

One God - One Day - One Africa – 31st May 2020

www.1gda.org

Foreign street vendors have clashed with Johannesburg police attempting to seize counterfeit goods. An armed police vehicle was pelted with stones and rubbish bins by street vendors accusing the police of terrorising them after the raid turned into violence and petrol bombing. The police retaliated by firing rubber bullets to disperse the protesters. The African Council of Hawkers and Informal Business condemns the brutality against Hawkers by the Johannesburg Metro Police and South African Police Service. SABC News reported, ‘the police were not attacking but trying to evict the illegal vendors from a congested area in town’. The ANC condemns stoning, petrol bombing and attacks on police by foreign nationals. Police are continuing with raids to remove counterfeit goods in Johannesburg and across the country. South Africa is complex. Locals resent migrant street traders, many sell contraband / fake / illegally imported goods. Many distrust corrupt authorities and there is high unemployment. Disputes quickly escalate into a riot.

Worship songs and heartfelt prayers filled the streets of neighbourhoods across South Africa on Freedom Day, Saturday 4 May, as believers celebrated their freedom in Christ and prayed for change in the country. Over 80 Jesus Marches took place in small towns and in big cities. Many participants were armed with black bags to clean the streets while praying. At the 10am start of the marches a prayer for the nation that was streamed to all the march venues via mobile phones. The central theme was John 8:36 - ‘Who the Son sets free is free indeed’. Many referred to the event as celebrating ‘True Freedom Day’, as only Christ can truly set us free and no government or worldly system can provide all the answers to society’s problems. Christians were encouraged to wear white on election day - Wednesday 8 May. See also the next article, on the elections.

Twenty-five years ago, under Nelson Mandela, the African National Congress (ANC) party ended apartheid, but since then it has governed poorly. Four in ten South Africans still live in poverty. Half of young people are unemployed, in an unequal society caused by corruption at all government levels. Seven out of ten South Africans don't trust politicians and many under-30s did not bother to vote in the 8 May elections. At the time of writing, ballot results are trickling in with the results expected on 11 May. The weakness of its challengers means that the ANC is expected to win again, but national projections show a drop in support of 8%. Recently the ANC replaced President Zuma with his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, who is attempting to recover stolen state funds. So far he has been unable to remove the deeply entrenched crony networks of corrupt local officials and power brokers who deliver many votes for ANC. See also the previous article, and

The Christ-centred National Land Summit (28 February to 1 March) is calling South Africans with faith like Joshua and Caleb to contribute towards a national Kingdom consensus for addressing land reform and rural systemic poverty. Kingdom-minded, faith-filled, positive people who are active in their communities, building bridges and creating solutions to local challenges, have been urged to attend. Jan Oosthuizen, the organiser of the event and facilitator of the New Nation Movement agricultural think-tank, said, ‘We appreciate the obedience and work God has established in His people all over South Africa, and believe that a cross-section of their contributions for overcoming the challenges that face agriculture and rural poverty will be invaluable.’

A youth prayer movement is springing up in the nations, and South Africa’s ‘Uprising’ event (4 to 6 October) is about to ignite the spiritual atmosphere over South Africa. Their website states, ‘We, the youth, are saying that we are uniting in prayer, rising as a body of young people, forming a revival wave, taking a stand, marching to the gates of Hell to give the devil back his surname and take our identity back. Black or white, every tribe, we are putting our differences aside and praying non-stop with every young person across South Africa, Africa and around the world, because where there is united prayer (Psalm 133:1-3) God is present, and where God is, there is hope, love, transformation and honour.’ We can ask God to protect all delegates travelling to the event, and for the strength and stamina of organisers and speakers. Pray for consistent electricity and internet supplies into the venue to enable clear, far-reaching teaching and fluid unbroken worship.

Tensions between groups of taxi drivers vying for the same routes can spill into deadly violence in South Africa. Minibus taxis are the most popular form of transport and violence is common between rival groups vying for dominance on profitable routes. On 21 July gunmen opened fire on a minibus carrying members of a taxi drivers’ association, killing 11 people and critically wounding four others. They had attended a colleague’s funeral, and were returning to Johannesburg when the ambush occurred. In May South African media reported the deaths of ten people, in violence related to rivalries among minibus taxi drivers in Cape Town. In April four taxi drivers were shot dead in the war between two rival Johannesburg taxi associations. Those killings were sparked by the murder of one driver the previous week. Pray for common sense to prevail and end the tit-for-tat murders.

Christian leaders are being invited to a meeting in Johannesburg on 5 June to collaborate on a joint Bible-based response on land expropriation without compensation, for submission to a new constitutional review committee. After parliament’s February vote in favour of land expropriation without compensation, this committee was set up to review Section 25 of the constitution and other clauses where necessary, to make it possible for the state to expropriate land in the public interest, without compensation. Following this submission, further stages of the public consultation process will continue; the committee must submit its report by 30 August.

Many lives are being lost in car crimes and road accidents. Road deaths are a national crisis, with 134,000+ killed over 10 years. Vehicle crime hotspots are Johannesburg, Tshwane, Cape Town, and Durban. Cars are hijacked to commit another crime, or exported into neighbouring countries. In spite of 18,900+ police deployed countrywide over Easter to keep road users safe and a road safety campaign, 510 people died between 29 March and 9 April. A motoring magazine reported: ‘South Africans have bad attitudes towards safe road use; education and enforcement will not stop them playing by their own rules. Without a change of attitude among road users and respect for the law, efforts to decrease fatalities and crashes by a noticeable margin will fall flat.’ See

In January, the voices of a praying and fasting network of Christians across the country stirred God’s heart to reveal some of His plans for the country at the start of the year. One of God’s revelations during this strategic prayer time was that He would accelerate the process of change within the country. On 14 February, President Jacob Zuma resigned, ending weeks of speculation. Cyril Ramaphosa is now the fifth President of democratic South Africa. Pray for the beginning of an honourable era in South African national politics under God’s leadership through Ramaphosa. Pray for the ANC as they face deep structural challenges. Pray also for Mr Zuma’s future to be in God’s hands, whether it is quiet retirement or court appearances. See