MBOMBELA – The provincial SAPS seek divine intervention to help them carry out their duties successfully.
On Tuesday members of the SAPS converged at Church Unlimited during a provincial prayer day to ask God to boost their morals and help them to curb crime and corruption. The service was attended by local pastors and concerned members of the community.
Sgt Gerald Sedibe, provincial police spokesman, said they went before God with faith and belief and were sure that their prayers will be answered. “Obviously we have seen Him helping us in the past and we trust that all that we are praying for will be provided,” he said,
The police service is plagued by corruption among its own members, attacks and killings by criminals, and infighting. Social issues that were prayed for, were the increase in drugs abuse, suicide and crime.
According to Lt Col Jim Skhosana, peace and a full-functioning police service depended on divine intervention and prayer was one of the ways through which they could invite God.
“We plead to God to protect SAPS management, both provincially and nationally, and to give them strength to serve the country,” said Skhosana.
The prayer day was also aimed at pleading to God to free SAPS members of their emotional load. “Today we are asking Him in humble submission to help our members to stay of sound mind in order to render an effective service to the community.”
According to Skhosana, their members members were exposed to many dangers while on duty. “When we leave our homes in the morning it’s the mercy of God which ensures that we return home safe and sound,” he said.
Past Nelisiwe Malaza spoke about the need to strengthen the police service. Her sermon centred on the need for members of the SAPS to be servants of the nation.
On her illustration, Malaza used the parable of Jesus Christ when he met his disciples in Galilee. They had been fishing the whole night and failed to catch anything. Upon arrival Jesus told them to throw in their nets. When they did so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
“We need to go out there and throw our nets deeper into the ocean to fish for a good society. The police need to be the fishers of men,” she said.
Malaza added that all the unrest in the country was a result of the actions of leaders who neglected their duties in order to focus on their own selfish desires. “We are guilty as charged as leaders, because we are focusing more on our own issues and forget our mandates of serving people,” she said.
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