Thulamela mayor Cllr Grace Mahosi has urged congregants of churches falling under the auspices of the All Saints Fellowship Forum in Shayandima to be faithful in paying their municipal accounts.

Mahosi, a resident of Shayandima and guest of honour during the Palm Sunday worship programme, said the non-payment of services by residents, including Christians, was the main cause of violent service delivery protests in many parts of the country.

This year's programme was attended by North Gauteng High Court Judge Joe Raulinga.

It started with a spectacular march from the Full Gospel Church to the local Lutheran Church some three kilometres away, with congregants waving tree branches through the streets of Shayandima. The mayor and some senior leaders of churches walked the full distance.

Intercessory prayers for identified challenges in communities were also held and the congregation also partook in Holy Communion. The main sermon was delivered by Rev Jack Magoro.

In her address, Mahosi said churches as partners of the government had a role to play in seeing to it that there was peace and stability in the country. She said the government was concerned about the protests about service delivery and the confusion surrounding these. “When we say we are going to do a project, we plan it around estimates of monies that we would get from services and if people do not pay, we do not have money to undertake such a project. It is up to you as churches that inasmuch as you are faithful in paying your tithes, be faithful also in paying for your services,” she said.

She added that Thulamela owed in excess of R347 million for services and they were forced to go the legal way to recoup the money.  Without this money they could not deliver efficient service to the community and they urged the pastors to help them by encouraging their followers to pay for services, she said.

All Saints Fellowship Forum chairperson Reverend Jabulane Monegi said the day had been a roaring success. He said Palm Sunday marked a new beginning of hope and victory for all  Christians.