Faith-based organisations in Phoenix in KwaZulu-Natal have joined hands to reach out to some of the victims of the attacks by so-called vigilante groups during the recent unrest.
Twenty -five -year old Zandile Mthembu, from Phoenix, was gifted a car after her own was set alight by armed men who attacked her at a make-shift roadblock three weeks ago.
Zandile Mthembu being presented with a car Nissan Micra, as a gesture of goodwill. She was dragged out of her car in #Phoenix and her car set alight by vigilante groups manning roadblocks. Local churches bought her this car to apologise for atrocities caused to her. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/l4Zr7R97Hk
— Vusi Khumalo (@djvuslo) July 30, 2021
The attacks took place when civilians formed groups to protect certain areas amid the widespread looting.
Mthembu, who was forcibly pulled out of her car and threatened, says she has forgiven her attackers.
“I can’t say it’s a matter of forgive and forget. I can’t tell people to do that. It has to come from your heart. It comes from what you tell yourself. If I tell myself that I wanna live myself I don’t want to cage myself with grudges because my life wouldn’t go anywhere.”
Joey Govender from the ABC City Forum of churches is one of the church leaders behind the initiative.
“So the church has a totally different perspective, that we should not hurt anybody, nobody deserves to die, nobody should be thrown on the floor, nobody’s car needs to be burnt that’s why we say we’re sorry.”
Churches assist unrest victim:
