President Jacob Zuma played the “God card” on Saturday night at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban‚ asking members of the Apostolic Faith Mission church to pray for him and the country’s leaders “to go the right way”.
In an 11-minute address that steered clear of any controversy‚ Zuma said: “Pray for us who are leading this country‚ that we do it in the manner that Jesus Christ would want us to do. Pray for the government‚ but also to pray for the coming elections to be peaceful‚ to be fair. You have the power to communicate with our lord‚ to ask the lord to help us.
“While we are faced with challenges‚ one has an opportunity to talk to the workers of God‚ and convey our request: to pray‚ pray and pray for us to go the right way.”
Earlier‚ there was a smattering of boos as Zuma walked to the stage. But whether these were directed at the president‚ or at the programme director who was asking for a pathway to the stage to be kept clear‚ was unclear.
Referencing recent protest action in Tshwane‚ Durban and other parts of the country – apparently over unhappiness with the ANC’s mayoral and ward councillor candidates for the local government election in August — Zuma said prayers were needed.
“What I believe is something we need to pray for is that when people have dissatisfactions‚ they display anger that is unusual. When they protest‚ they interfere with others’ lives‚ they close roads‚ they burn things. It means we need
Jesus more. We need to pray more in this country‚” he said.
He also praised the church‚ particularly its youth‚ for changing lives and making a difference.
“I’m also a Christian‚ but in a different church; the church that is called the United Congregational Church of South Africa. That’s why I always humble myself before Jesus and before his people.
“I’m very happy to have the opportunity‚ on behalf of the people of this country‚ to ask you to help pray for our youth. And you must attract more youth in our country to your ranks; to be part of this army that is busy shaping the values and the morals of our country‚” he said.
Zuma asks churchgoers to pray for country’s leaders ‘to go the right way’
President Jacob Zuma played the “God card” on Saturday night at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban‚ asking members of the Apostolic Faith Mission church to pray for him and the country’s leaders “to go the right way”.
In an 11-minute address that steered clear of any controversy‚ Zuma said: “Pray for us who are leading this country‚ that we do it in the manner that Jesus Christ would want us to do. Pray for the government‚ but also to pray for the coming elections to be peaceful‚ to be fair. You have the power to communicate with our lord‚ to ask the lord to help us.
“While we are faced with challenges‚ one has an opportunity to talk to the workers of God‚ and convey our request: to pray‚ pray and pray for us to go the right way.”
Earlier‚ there was a smattering of boos as Zuma walked to the stage. But whether these were directed at the president‚ or at the programme director who was asking for a pathway to the stage to be kept clear‚ was unclear.
Referencing recent protest action in Tshwane‚ Durban and other parts of the country – apparently over unhappiness with the ANC’s mayoral and ward councillor candidates for the local government election in August — Zuma said prayers were needed.
“What I believe is something we need to pray for is that when people have dissatisfactions‚ they display anger that is unusual. When they protest‚ they interfere with others’ lives‚ they close roads‚ they burn things. It means we need
Jesus more. We need to pray more in this country‚” he said.
He also praised the church‚ particularly its youth‚ for changing lives and making a difference.
“I’m also a Christian‚ but in a different church; the church that is called the United Congregational Church of South Africa. That’s why I always humble myself before Jesus and before his people.
“I’m very happy to have the opportunity‚ on behalf of the people of this country‚ to ask you to help pray for our youth. And you must attract more youth in our country to your ranks; to be part of this army that is busy shaping the values and the morals of our country‚” he said.
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