Mzansi split over chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng's 'vaccine of the devil' prayer

11 December 2020 - 10:15 By cebelihle bhengu
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Chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng's prayer split opinions on social media.
Chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng's prayer split opinions on social media.
Image: Thulani Mbele

South Africans are divided after chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng's prayer against any “vaccine of the devil” during a visit to Tembisa Hospital in Gauteng on Thursday.

Seemingly responding to health minister Zweli Mkhize's announcement about a Covid-19 second wave, Mogoeng said: “Whatever phase is said to be coming, Lord I judge it, I run it down in the name of Jesus. I lock out every demon of Covid-19. I lock out any vaccine that is not of you.

“If there be any vaccine that is of the devil, meant to infuse triple-six in the lives of people, meant to corrupt their DNA. Any such vaccine, Lord God almighty, may it be destroyed by fire in the name of Jesus.”

SA is expected to have a vaccine by April next year.

Finance minister Tito Mboweni assured MPs last week that government has until December 15 to pay R500m to join the Covax global Covid-19 vaccine distribution scheme.

As a video of Mogoeng's prayer was widely shared on social media, users expressed their opinions.

Some claimed the chief justice was “causing confusion among people who are already hesitant about a vaccine”, while others said his prayer had been misinterpreted.

Here are some of the reactions:


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