South Africa was among the nations of the world that held events on Monday to commemorate the first anniversary of the October 7 massacre in Israel, where Hamas invaders killed 1 200 Israelis and took about 250 hostages.
Christian and Jewish leaders from around South Africa marked the anniversary by praying together at the inaugural annual SA-Israel Prayer Breakfast in Pretoria.
“We are trusting God that we will see a shift in relations between South Africa and Israel,” said Tshego Motaung of Israel Matters, which initiated the event held to pray for healing and restoration of SA’s relationship with Israel.
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Speakers included Apostle Linda Gobodo, who inaugurated the event, Pastor Victor Mokgotlhoa of Praise Tabernacle Church in Soshanguve, Bishop John Mutula of Calvary Worship Centre International in Soweto, Rev Kenneth Meshoe, president of the ACDP, Daniel Jackobi, director of South African Friends of Israel (SAFI) and Rabbi Benji Falkson of Johannesburg.
Motaung said that the prayer initiative aims to “stand in the gap” for South Africa as long as the government maintains its hostile stance towards Israel. The African nations that cut ties with Israel after the Yom Kippur war in 1973 experienced wars, famine and diseases “like the Bible says”. Unlike SA, most of those nations now have healthy relations with the Jewish State, she said.
She said they had held the event in Pretoria because they believed it was important to pray in the nation’s capital.
“We have faith that a leadership will arise in this nation that will not be hostile to Israel and which will host this prayer breakfast at the Union Buildings,” she said.
In a Facebook post about the prayer breakfast,, SAFI said: ”This morning, a powerful event was initiated by a Christian group determined to pray for Israel and strengthen the bond between South Africa and Israel. South African Friends of Israel was honored to be invited to support this important gathering.
“The message that echoed throughout the event was clear: the Christian community, which represents approximately 80% of South Africa’s population, firmly opposes the stance our government has taken. Israel, the birthplace of Christianity and the homeland of the Jewish people, is being unfairly demonized, and this community will not stand by in silence.
“It’s time for our government to adopt a stance that serves the best interests of all South Africans. We call for justice, peace, and stronger ties with Israel. Together, we can make a difference.”
On Monday evening the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) held well-attended gatherings in Johannesburg and Cape Town to commemorate October 7.
Vivienne Myburgh national director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, South Africa branch attended Monday’s prayer breakfast and the SAZF’s Night of Remembrance and Resilience in Johannesburg
Commenting on the Johannesburg event, she said: “It was just inspirational to hear how the Jewish community commemorated October 7 even in the face of all of their trauma. October the 7th continues for them and yet they are resilient and look forward to the future,” she said.
Myburgh said a highlight of the gathering was a testimony shared by a 22-year-old woman from Kibbutz Nir Oz in Southern Israel, about how she had survived in a bomb shelter with her mother for 12 hours while homicidal terrorists tried five times to break down the door they had locked. It was very special and inspiring hearing from her.
The chief rabbi of South Africa, Warren Goldstein. spoke to the gathering about not being victims and wanting sympathy but rather supporting the fight against evil on behalf of nations who value life and liberty, Myburgh said.
“Our hearts are broken along with Israel’s, as they mourn those whose lives were so brutally cut short on the 7th of October.
“There are millions of Christians around the world who are committed to pray daily for Israel and for the release of their hostages,” she said.
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All we can say is that the Lord of hosts
Jehovah Elohim will stand by His Word that He will bless those who bless the seed of Abraham and curse those who curse his seed,so I stand with the Word of God to bless Israel and I pray for peace of Jerusalem in the name of Yeshua Hamashiach..we repent on behalf of our government leaders who are still blinded by the enemy and thus hostile to the seed of Abraham..
Whilst I do not align myself with the stance our government has taken, I cannot for one minute agree with Israel’s response to the attack on October 7 last year and resent the assumption as part of the 80% or 20% of born again believers that I would support a people, the bulk of whom do not even practice their faith any longer.