Residents Unite in Prayer for Boy Children Amidst Rising Crisis
On Thursday afternoon, 7 November, residents from Nyanga, Gugulethu, and Langa gathered at the Gugulethu Sports Complex for a prayer session focused on the boy child. The community came together in response to concerns over the growing number of young boys turning to crime and substance abuse. Many believe that the attention given to supporting girls has left boys to face their challenges alone, leading to an increase in gangs like the notorious “amaphara” boys.
Parents in the area voiced their frustration and worry over their sons’ struggles. Some even shed tears daily as they watched their children fall deeper into addiction. The prayer session was seen as a plea for divine intervention, with the hope of guiding these boys back to a better path and reclaiming their future.
Fanelwa Sfanqane from the Ubuhlobo Women’s Society urged the community to take action. “To parents of boy children, God blessed you with sons, not amaphara. In this prayer, we’re reclaiming our sons and asking God to save them,” she said. She also stressed the urgency of the situation, calling for collective effort to change the course of the country’s future.
Colonel Soyiso Mantyi, the Gugulethu Station Commander, supported the initiative and suggested that prayer sessions be held more frequently to address the crisis. Milani Sijorha, a former drug addict, shared his personal story, urging the community to act before more young lives are lost to drugs and violence. Before the prayer, residents marched to the local police station, delivering a memorandum calling for increased police visibility in their neighborhoods. Through this collective effort, they hope to create a stronger, more supportive community for future generations.
