Integrated safety strategy key to development of SA, says Van Niekerk

Experts in various fields of security who met in Pretoria on Tuesday committed themselves to work together and with other role-players to develop an integrated national safeguarding strategy that will be based on biblical values, said Dr Arno van Niekerk, one of the facilitators of the meeting.

He said that the initiative which will have a practical arm focused on providing solutions and a spiritual arm which will deal with the roots of murder, crime and corruption, should be seen as a Kingdom nation-building exercise that will make South Africa safer and contribute to economic and community development.

The meeting heard reports on various excellent strategies that were being implemented in certain communities. Discussion was about how to take hands across the nation towards building an integrated safeguarding initiative.

They agreed to put together a team of experts to formulate a basic strategy and then come with an action plan to be made available to communities.

“Eventually we want to see communities taking hands to make themselves safer and then building a ‘peace force’ because we need to win the peace in the country,” he said.

“It’s Kingdom nation-building and safety is an issue that is of concern to everybody. And as we take hands for this we can start taking hands for rebuilding the economy and our communities and all other aspects because the time has come for Christians to get involved in the solutions for the nation.

“In fact everybody is welcome. It’s not exclusive but we are not going to compromise the principles on which we do it. Hopefully can build a model for the rest of Africa.”

He said it was agreed to pursue the strategy under the banner of Project SA, a Kingdom Nation Building initiative which is about to be launched nationwide.

He said their vision was not to replace the police and army but to collaborate with them.

Discussing the spiritual arm of the safeguarding initiative he said they were setting up a “prayer army” which would play a vital role by preparing the ground ahead of practical developments.

Anybody interested in joining the prayer army should email their cell number to enoughsa1@gmail.com.

Watch video of Dr Arno van Niekerk reporting back on the inaugural safegaurding SA meeting: