Organisations and churches have joined forces to raise awareness about the various social issues affecting the greater Mogale City and to rally community support for their initiatives.

According to Pastor JJ van Niekerk, the United Gathering of Shepherds initiative includes various religious groups such as Africa Back to God and Krugersdorp West Full Gospel Church.

He said the goal is to address socio-economic issues in the city, such as substance abuse, homelessness and unemployment.

The initiative will commence at Tower of Life on August 30, where the organisations will come together to assist the most vulnerable people in society.

“We appeal to every organisation and church to join us as we rally for as much support as possible to tackle the many issues affecting our society today. Many organisations in Krugersdorp are playing their roles in helping people; however, we want to amplify their efforts and ensure strength in numbers for those who want to make a difference,” JJ said.

Pastor Danie van der Westhuizen added that public stakeholders such as the Department of Social Development and Mogale City will be involved in the initiative, which aims to extend to larger projects.

”It is not just about aiding people through donating clothes and providing food; we want to foster a better culture and also address other issues like skills development and crime,” Danie stated.

Anyone wishing to contribute can contact JJ on 072 312 9111.