The postponement follows an announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that gatherings of more 100 people were prohibited as one of the means to stop the spread of the highly contagious virus.

“We are informing you the people and the groups who come to Moria on the weekends via buses, we are asking you to put on hold coming to Moria until further notice,” the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) said the statement issued on Tuesday.

“While the decision was taken on 13 March, the church decided not to go public about it until all its structures were officially informed so that they did not hear about postponement for the first time in the media.

“The structures were subsequently informed at a meeting held at Moria on Saturday. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for this weekend to give members further information about the virus,” says ZCC spokesperson Emmanuel Motolla.

He further adds that the decision was taken in the best interest of the church members. He also says a new date will be communicated with members at the appropriate time.

“Obviously a new date for the Easter pilgrimage will be announced once normality prevails in this country. This is something unknown, something highly dangerous. We don’t want to risk the lives of our people.”

South Africa has so far recorded 62 cases of Covid-19.