Pres Jacob Zuma has implored the church to pray for church leaders that they lead the country properly.

Speaking at the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Giyani on Sunday, Zuma hailed the church for the role it played in the area of health and education. “The church is the one that has built Shilubane Hospital, Elim Hospital as well as Lemana High, the institution that has educated Frelimo founder Dr Eduardo Mondlane,” said Zuma.

Zuma said the church played a role in unifying people, human resource development, providing health and education and social development. Political leaders needed prayers because some of them were so disrespectful and used language unbecoming of leaders, Zuma said.

He condemned the burning of tyres and looting during protests and says this portrayed the country as a chaotic state and gave a wrong and bad image about the country. His remarks follow ugly scenes in Malamulele during the recent protests to demand their own municipality. Damage estimated at R45 million was caused by looting, vandalism and the burning of vehicles and buildings during the Malamulele protests.

While Zuma was addressing the congregation at Giyani, the Malamulele community was to hold a mass meeting to map a way forward. It follows after it was allegedly leaked that their hope for a political solution in their quest to have their own municipality had taken a nosedive, after the ANC had rejected their appeal.

They resolved to take mass action, details of which would be unveiled at a mass meeting on Sunday.