Mayor Mahlase leads Safer Festive Season mass prayer

Schoonoord

The newly elected Mayor of Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality (MLM), Cllr Merah Mahlase, has joined the mass-prayer service for a Crime Free and Safer Festive Season Campaign held at the Peter Nchabeleng Sports Complex in Schoonoord recently.

The prayer was held jointly with the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Spiritual Crime Prevention (SCP) and the local Community Policing Forum (CPF).

Also in attendance were local traditional authority leaders, led by the provincial chairperson of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa), Kgoshigadi Seopela, leaders of varying religions and congregants from various church denominations, demonstrating a united-front against one common mission, which is to advocate for a safer community as the country enters yet another hectic festive season.

According to the local municipality, the payer session presented an opportunity for community leaders and the general public, particularly in the Schoornoord Cluster to be the first audience to interact with the new mayor, following her election to take over reigns after she was inaugurated recently.

The prayer session campaign had taken place just two days before the launch of 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign, which was set to be launched by the South African National Government.

This year’s activism campaign marked exactly twenty five years since it was launched on the 25 of November 1998, with the purpose of ensuring mass mobilization of communities to promote unity and awareness in the fight to eradicate the scourge of Gender-Based Violence and femicide (GBVF).

During the prayer event, Mayor Mahlase made a commitment that her office will work closely with all church leaders and other relevant stakeholder in a quest for promotion of peace and most importantly the promotion of safety for communities.

Mahlase also thanked residents of Makhuduthamaga as well as community organizations for allowing her to lead the developmental agenda of the local municipality.

“Working together we can achieve more and equally distribute programs and services. I appreciate the opportunity and also expect the same support you gave those who came before me, and hope to continue with the same vigour of changing lives and transforming the municipality,” she said.

Among other key leaders who participated at the campaign included Kgoshi Mashegoana Tswaledi, Kgoshi Seopela, the SAPS Sekhukhune District Commander, Colonel Leshilo Lekgalwa and councillors.