It’s time for the church to arise in SA and speak out against injustices, pastor Jaun Labuschagne said at a prayer meeting in Senekal in the Free State on Wednesday.
“I believe that the Bible says in the book of Isaiah when the enemy comes in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord raises a standard and that standard is the church of justice.
“As the people we need to make a stand, but as Christians we make a stand in righteousness. We don’t make a stand in our race, in our culture and in our background.
“We make a stand in the price that Jesus paid and that is in righteousness and that’s the same for all. It doesn’t matter about the colour of your skin,” Labuschagne, who is from Bethlehem, said.
A large group of congregants and residents gathered at the Senekal showgrounds on Wednesday afternoon.
The meeting was opened with prayer and followed by scripture reading and a message from De Beer.
It doesn’t matter about the colour of your skin.
— Pastor Jaun Labuschagne
After the prayer meeting, those in attendance were asked to pray for 10 minutes.
Their prayers echoed through the showgrounds while gospel music played. Some broke down in tears while praying, while others said a silent prayer in the stadium stands.
The mass prayer meeting was called after violence erupted during the court appearance of the two men linked to the murder of Brendin Horner in the town last Tuesday, pastor Stefan Coetzee said.
“We came together and said that this is not Senekal we know. We want to unite the community and call for peace.
“We are going to pray against the spirit of rebellion, racial tension and the violence that is currently unfolding in our country and town.
We came together and said that this is not Senekal we know.
— Pastor Stefan Coetzee
Coetzee said this was also a call to end gender-based violence, the murder of children and women and murders in the farming community.
Pastor Hendrik de Beer echoed Coetzee’s sentiments, saying the meeting was to “rebuild the walls that the enemy have broken down and to say we won’t allow the enemy to come into our town to further steal and destroy”.
“People say that a war is going to start in Senekal, but I’m here to tell you today that revival is going to start in Senekal.”
Pastor David Mngomezulu called for people to come “back to God so that he can heal our land”.
“We have to come back to God then we can ask God to heal our nations. We are not fighting blood or flesh, we are fighting the spirit of Satan. We have to pray to God to help us to come together as one. All I want is peace,” Mngomezulu said.
Sekwetje Isaiah Mahlamba, 32, and Sekola Piet Matlaletsa, 44, appeared in the Senekal Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, when angry farmers sparked mayhem.
Mahlamba and Matlaletsa are expected to make their second court appearance on Friday.
The case has blown open a chasm in the community, stoking racial tensions and anger at the police.
We have to pray to God to help us to come together as one.
— Pastor David Mngomezulu
Horner, 21, was killed one year to the day after he began working for the Scheepers family at Bloukruin Boerdery, close to the small Free State town of Paul Roux.
During a visit to the town on Tuesday this week, police minister Bheki Cele pleaded with the farming community for calm ahead of the court appearance.
Pastor John Mathuhle said they hoped there would be no confrontations or racial conflict in the town on Friday.
“The community of Senekal looks after itself. During the drought we worked together to solve the problem.
“We were supposed to stand together against the murder of Horner, but instead of that this whole turned into a racial issue. We are not part of the people calling for war against black and white, but believe that we are beautiful in our diversities.”
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