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Lekganyane decries lack of selfless leadership in SA and globally

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In a colourful FNB Stadium filled to the rafters, Zion Christian Church (ZCC) leader, Bishop Dr Barnabas Lekganyane has lamented the lack of selfless leadership that he says South Africa and the rest of the world are in so much need of.

During a speech themed on selfless leadership, Lekganyane spent most of his opening speech narrating the story of Moses and the Egyptian King, Pharaoh which he said was the epitome of selfless leadership, which he lamented was rare today.

“The sacrifices made by Moses in pursuit of justice are the kind of selfless leadership that is so needed in the world right now. Not the kind of heartless leadership that was espoused by Pharaoh which is rife today.”

He says, “Leaders like Moses and Jesus are in shortage in South African and globally.”

Ramarumo, as Lekganyane is affectionately known, says Jesus voluntarily became a servant to his followers.

“The question is, ‘Do our current leaders have these kind of qualities or are willing to put them into practice?’”

Lekganyane started off his sermon by sympathising with the families that were affected by the tornado in the KwaZulu-Natal province last week, saying this further showed that issues of climate change needed to be taken seriously. At least 16 people were killed and many were affected.

“To all the affected families to, know that the ZCC and all other religious and faith-based organisations are with you in prayers. We will keep praying to God to help you regain your strength.”

He also sent his condolences to the Xhosa nation following the passing of King Sigcawu last week.

“May his soul in peace!”

Lekganyane has also reminded the religious leaders that they were not divorced from the socio-economic and political issues afflicting the masses they preside over like poverty and inequality among others.

He has reminded them that in 2018, they had agreed that they would, “Pray for unity of all South Africans of all races and languages; pray end to poverty and crime, and particularly crime against women and children; the creation of job, equality and opportunity and quality education and provision of skills; pray for the current land reform discussions to result in land being made available for black people living in rural and urban areas and to their communities for successful and secure to black and white farmers; pray for peaceful, fair and just elections; pray for drug, in particular nyaope which is destroying lives and the moral fiber of society.”

“Sadly, little has changed since then, largely due to leadership problems,” he says.

“Crime has increased. The economy has shed thousands of jobs. Corruption and maladministration are the order of the day. Poverty and unemployment are rampant in the country while the majority of the South Africans remain landless 25 years into democracy.”

The spiritual leader of the biggest church in Southern Africa has also decried the slow pace of land redistribution to the blacks, which he says “appears to have either been abandoned or the process has stalled altogether.”

The poor state of the economy and the retrenchments that have afflicted thousands of families in the past year in South Africa also made it into his sermon that urged the leadership of the country in all sectors to commit to improving the lives of the people.

More than 90 000 congregants from the 33 invited religious groups filled the FNB Stadium and sat still as Mohwadub’a Mmaphak’a Monare spoke, with the majority of the stadium painted Green and Yellow, Blue and Khakhi by members of the church that was founded by Bishop Engenas Lekganyane more than a century ago, in 1910.

Various artists like gospel star, Dr Winnie Mashaba, Dr Rebecca Malope and the much-acclaimed Abathandwa had earlier entertained the crowds in the stadium between different sermons by different pastors from other churches.

But it was the ZCC Bras Band that concluded the proceedings after the sermon by Lekganyane.

Watch the video below for more on the story:

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