Churches in Nelson Mandela Bay have declared that they can no longer tolerate the rising crime rates in the Eastern Cape.
On Monday, 23rd September, some worshippers marched under the banner of the South African Council of Churches to protest against the high levels of criminal activities in the city.
The protesters called for collaboration between all levels of government, civil organisations, and NGOs to tackle crime in their communities.
They demanded urgent action from the municipality to repair and install floodlights and high-mast lighting in crime hotspot areas, along with CCTV cameras, gun detectors, and the use of drones to monitor criminal activity.
In addition, the religious leaders are calling for a revival of effective crime intelligence services and the immediate deployment of soldiers to support the police.
One of the churches had recently been attacked by criminals during a service, and congregants were robbed of their belongings.
Bishop Mthuthuzeli Vena, who spoke on behalf of the churches, said they were deeply troubled by the increasing crime in the city, particularly in churches.
“As churches in Nelson Mandela Bay, we are disturbed by the crime that is happening in our city. We have noticed that crime has escalated in our churches, where we are robbed during church services. This made us come together as pastors to talk about this and say no, we cannot sit and keep quiet.
“We want to pray for our city because we believe there is a God in heaven who can hear our cries. He can end all this lawlessness happening in our city. We want to work together with government to stop this crime. We don’t want to tell authorities what to do, but also want to be part of stopping criminality,’ he said.
Council Speaker Eugene Johnson accepted the churches’ petition on behalf of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, stating that plans were already being developed in partnership with the police to address crime. Johnson assured the church that they would receive feedback within 14 days.
Nelson Mandela Bay district police commissioner, Major-General Vuyisile Ncatha, expressed his appreciation for the church’s involvement, stating:
“God cannot be defeated by criminals. We now know we are not alone in the fight against crime, and that makes us happy. It also encourages us to do more because when you are helped, you must show that appreciation,’ he said.