ANDILE MOSHOESHOE
KOKSTAD was gripped with scenes of rare spiritual intensity last weekend during a prayer gathering at Bhongweni Youth Centre.
The mass interdenominational prayer service was convened through a united front between Greater Kokstad Municipality, uMhlobo Wenene FM, and clergy from various church denominations.
The service began as a weekend prayer session and later transformed into a profound public spectacle of faith, repentance and communal solidarity, leaving many residents visibly shaken and spiritually uplifted.
The gathering left the people of Kokstad in awe as many openly declared that they believed the mayor of Greater Kokstad Municipality was “divinely ordained”.
They said the prayer crusade was more than a religious event, but a defining moment of healing, reflection and moral renewal for the town.
“This was not an ordinary prayer meeting. It felt as though heaven had descended upon the Bhongweni Township. The mayor has shown us that leadership is not only about service delivery, but about restoring the soul of the people,” said one resident.
The extraordinary scenes witnessed in Bhongweni have now cemented the gathering as one of the most talked-about spiritual moments in recent local memory, with many calling for such initiatives to become a permanent feature of Kokstad’s social and moral rebuilding efforts.
Lwanda Madikizela, the mayor of Greater Kokstad Municipality, addressed the gathering in the midst of the search for Lathitha Mtolo, who went missing last month.
The community of Kokstad has been deeply concerned about the missing girl.
Madikizela called for peace and calm, and also expressed his gratitude for the spirit of cooperation shown by the community.
He also appreciated the positive role played by the uMhlobo Wenene FM radio hosts and the clergy.
This heartfelt prayer gathering also served as a solemn introduction to Easter, with the central hope that the missing child would be found and that those who care might find comfort and solace in this trying time.
