Peter Luhanga
In hopes of ensuring peaceful elections as political parties compete in what may be historic elections on Wednesday, 20 pastors from various church denominations held a prayer service at the Sophakama Primary School hall on Saturday 25 May.
The service was attended by voters, taxi bosses from the Dunoon Taxi Association (DTA), the Milnerton Police station commander, and representatives from the South African National Civic Organisation, and the ANC Oliver Tambo branch chairperson.
Langa Lethu, an umbrella organisation for all church groups in Dunoon, led by Bishop Xolani Mathimba of Faith Mission Apostolic Church, held a prayer for peace ahead of election day. Mathimba said crime is very high in Dunoon and stressed the need for a violence-free election. “Everyone should vote without violence. They should vote in peace. We need peace,” said Mathimba.
He said all residents were invited to the prayer session on Saturday and it was not a political gathering.
Milnerton Police Station Commander Colonel Thamsanqa Tito thanked the DTA and organisations combating violence against women and children for their good working relationship with the Milnerton police.
Tito stressed the importance of the right to vote, equating it with the right to life.
He assured the community there would be a static deployment of SAPS members at all polling stations in Dunoon and elsewhere to ensure the safety of IEC officials.
He said a security assessment indicated a “medium risk” of violence, which means there is a possibility of unrest.
Police would be escorting used and unused ballot boxes, and all votes in the province will be counted in Century City.
The service was attended by 70 people. At the end, attendees held hands in a circle and recited a prayer that took about 10 minutes to conclude.