MEC Qabathe urges churches to join hands with govt to fight social ills

South Africa: Currently, MEC for Social Development, Ms Motlagomang “Mamiki” Qabathe, is addressing Uniting Reform Church in Southern Africa on the Importance of protecting elderly people in our society and the role of Churches in building better communities and fighting Violence against elderly people and other social ills.

URCSA Bloemfontein West, 8328 Namibia Square Mangaung Bloemfontein, under the leadership of Senior Pastor Langa Petrus Fokase.

URCSA church today took an initiative to honour elderly people within the church through the establishment of the Luncheon Club, which is created for elderly people on the verge of building better health for elderly persons and keeping them active.

MEC Qabathe emphasised that the church should assist elderly people through the creation of food gardens and other developmental programs that can improve elderly people’s lives.

She also explained the Importance of keeping our elderly people safe; as a society, we should fight against any form of Violence against the elderly and protect them, but also alluded that elderly people should also consider going to elderly people’s homes – which keeps elderly people safe within communities.

MEC for Social Development emphasises the Importance of a church in fighting Social Ills such Gender Based Violence and Femicide, Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Gangsterism, etc., that haunt our society.

Furthermore, the MEC asked the church to move away from being service oriented and become developmental centres in order to assist the government in fighting all forms of Violence and social ills.

According to MEC, the number of churches and people who like good things is more than those who do bad – but funny enough; evil is more prevalent than good in our society.

“Government has the same vision of making sure that our people live in a fair, peaceful society, let the church play its role and adopt leaders, pray for our leaders in building better communities for all.” Said the MEC.

The Department of Social Development wants to build a caring and self-reliant society. The MEC further said, “As the department, we plea with churches to contribute towards transforming our society by building conscious and capable citizens through the provision of integrated social development services.”

The Department was joined by the South African Red Cross Society, which donated 40 food parcels to those in need.