POLOKWANE – The Zion Christian Church’s annual New Year Consecration Conference is underway at Zion City in Moria, with thousands of worshippers expected to converge on the church’s headquarters in Boyne.

The sacred gathering started on Thursday, September 3, and will run until Wednesday, September 9. The church starts its new year in September.

Church spokesperson, retired Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe, said the conference is being held under His Grace, Bishop Dr B.E. Lekganyane, in an atmosphere of peace, safety and reverence after previous years of converging locally due to COVID-19 restrictions.

In a media release issued on Friday, September 4, the church said strict safety measures are now in force along the R71 between Polokwane and Tzaneen, directly in front of the ZCC Headquarters, from Matshelapata in Mentz to Mphogodiba.

No parking or hawking along R71

The church has said no parking will be permitted along the R71 in front of the church headquarters. The restriction is intended to ensure smooth pedestrian movement and unobstructed emergency access.

No hawkers or informal trading will be permitted in front of the headquarters.

“This is intended to maintain order, reduce congestion and eliminate potential safety risks,” Ngoepe said.

Measures not directed at SMMEs

Ngoepe emphasised that the precautions are taken solely in the interest of public safety and to preserve the sanctity of the consecration.

He said the church’s measures are not directed against Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), but are necessary to protect worshippers and other road users and to maintain order during this sacred period.

Call for caution

“We call on all worshippers and visitors to exercise caution on the roads, remain vigilant against criminal activities and contribute to an incident-free celebration,” Ngoepe said.