17 March 2009

ANC president Jacob Zuma has asked the congregation at the Rhema Bible Church in Randburg to pray for a peaceful, free and fair election on April 22.

He also asked them to pray for the 2010 World Cup to succeed.

Zuma's visit on Sunday surprised many - some saying it was a ploy to garner votes for the ANC.

"He's only here for votes. We don't want him here, man. Let's hope he'll get saved here today," a congregant said.

Others accused him and his party of empty promises.

Destitute residents of the Zandspruit squatter settlement in Honeydew, however, sang a different tune.

Francina Mbulani and Nomonde Klaas came to the service with a letter to Zuma asking him to save 13  000 families living in abject conditions and poverty. In it, residents complained about the lack of houses, toilets, running water, and medical care for children.

"It is not enough that we only see him on TV. We want him to come to Zandspruit and witness for himself the conditions in which we are living. Our children are sick," Klaas said.

Zuma's presence received a mixed response, with a few people deciding to leave the church before he took the podium and spoke for more than 20 minutes.

Apparently aware of the mixed reaction, he stopped short of asking people to vote for the ANC.

Zuma said his party's historical association with the church could not be doubted.

"The ANC practically derived its moral vision from the church, among other sources. That also explains the key role played by the religious sector in the struggle for freedom in our country.

"In the post-2009 election administration we will work for a continued partnership with the faith-based sector to give practical meaning to the ANC's moral vision, based on our country's constitution.

"Our moral vision embodies the values of a just and caring society."

Zuma called on the congregation to engage the government and discuss issues such as the termination of pregnancy law and legislation allowing same-sex marriages.

He promised that his government would launch an onslaught against HIV and Aids, saying its social impact was massive.

He noted that the 2001 national census found the country had more than 248 000 child-headed households, mostly as a result of the pandemic.

Zuma asked the congregation to pray for "nation-building, and together work to make all South Africans feel at home in their country, regardless of colour, language, gender and creed".