Pray the News
Calls to bring the Army to the Bay
The Herald 17 February 2026
Abstract from the Article
More Background
The Northern Areas of Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), have long been plagued by entrenched gang activity. This region, largely comprising Coloured communities, has seen gang violence escalate into a major driver of crime, including murders, shootings, drug trafficking, and extortion. The article highlights ongoing calls for military intervention amid comparisons to gang hotspots in the Western Cape and Gauteng. Residents and officials describe a situation where gangs disrupt daily life, with violence spilling over into innocent bystanders, including children. To provide deeper context, below is a breakdown of the historical roots, causes, key gangs, impacts, and responses based on available data and reports.
Nelson Mandela Bay tops South Africa's murder rate at 15.6 per 100,000 (July-September 2025), surpassing Cape Town (15.3) and Johannesburg (8.4).
Gang violence arises from a combination of socio-economic, historical, and structural factors:
- Poverty and Unemployment: Youth unemployment exceeds 45%, making gangs an appealing option for income, belonging, and status. Many young men join gangs due to frustration and a lack of alternatives, with these groups providing economic opportunities through drug sales and extortion. Young people are excluded from the formal and informal markets, forcing them to seek alternatives.
- Criminal Economy and Firearms: The proliferation of drugs in the 1990s fueled rivalries among gangs, while easy access to firearms increased violence. Gangs are often linked to prison networks, such as those in St. Albans Prison, where alliances are formed and extended into the streets. The criminal economy has become the livelihood of hundreds of young people and their families.
- Social Exclusion, Marginalization, and Dehumanization: The legacy of apartheid has resulted in ongoing racial and economic disenfranchisement. Poor education and inadequate services—illustrated by stolen streetlights creating dark, unsafe areas—alongside urban migration, have overwhelmed infrastructure. Many communities feel neglected, and gangsters are sometimes viewed as "people's champions" or role models in the absence of state support.
- Governance and Corruption: Weak local governance, including corruption within municipal administration, has impaired responses to gang violence. Police forces are often infiltrated by criminal elements, and political interference, along with inadequate resources, hampers effective policing. For example, prison gangs can influence street operations, and local laws against loitering or public drinking are poorly enforced. Criminal syndicates have developed an extensive and effective system of enforcing the receipt of government service delivery contracts.
- Community Dynamics: Gangs often reside within the same neighborhoods as residents, leading to feelings of complicity or fear among community members. When police conduct raids, they may encounter resistance, such as people stoning police vehicles, which complicates intervention efforts.
Prayer Guidelines
- For wisdom and divine guidance for President Ramaphosa, government leaders, police, and SANDF commanders
Heavenly Father, we come before You in the name of Jesus Christ, asking for Your wisdom and discernment to rest upon President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Minister of Police, the SANDF leadership, and all decision-makers as they plan and execute the deployment of the army in crime hotspots. Grant them clear insight to include the suffering communities of the Northern Areas in Nelson Mandela Bay, where gang violence has claimed innocent lives for too long. Let Your Spirit guide their strategies so that this intervention brings true stability, protects the vulnerable (including children), and avoids unnecessary harm or escalation. As Proverbs 2:6 reminds us, "For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding." May their plans align with Your justice and mercy. Amen.
- For effective, restrained, and protective operations by the deployed soldiers
Lord God, our Protector and Defender, we lift up the soldiers of the South African National Defence Force who may soon be deployed to support the police against entrenched gang activity. Surround them with Your hedge of protection, grant them courage tempered with compassion, and equip them to act with precision, restraint, and righteousness. Help them to root out violence without becoming agents of further fear or injustice. We pray that their presence would deter shootings, secure streets for families, restore safety during daylight and night, and allow children to play and attend school without terror. May their actions reflect Your heart for justice, as in Psalm 82:3-4: "Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." Amen.
- For community cooperation, reduced casualties, and long-term transformation
Compassionate Father, we pray for the residents of Gelvandale, Helenvale, Bethelsdorp, and the surrounding Northern Areas who live under the shadow of daily shootings and fear. Soften hearts in the community so that fear of retaliation gives way to cooperation with authorities, breaking the cycle of stones thrown at police and silence that protects criminals. We ask for minimal loss of life during any deployment—protect both innocent civilians and those caught in gang life who need redemption. Beyond temporary stabilization, stir a move of Your Holy Spirit to transform hearts, dismantle the drug economy, heal broken families, and raise up godly leaders and programs that address root causes like poverty and hopelessness. Let this intervention be a step toward the peace You promise in Isaiah 9:6-7, where the government rests on Your shoulders. Amen.
- For an overall breakthrough against spiritual and societal strongholds of violence
Almighty God, we acknowledge that the battle against gang violence is not only against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). We bind every spirit of murder, fear, division, and addiction fueling these gangs, and we loose Your peace, reconciliation, and deliverance over Nelson Mandela Bay. As the army is considered or deployed wisely, let it serve as a tool in Your hand to push back evil and create space for the Gospel to advance—bringing salvation to gang members, comfort to grieving families, and restoration to broken communities. We declare that no weapon formed against Your people shall prosper, and we trust You to turn mourning into dancing as lives are spared and futures reclaimed. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen.
Sample Prayer
Heavenly Father, We come before You in the name of Jesus Christ, lifting up the urgent cries of the people in the Northern Areas of Nelson Mandela Bay, where gang violence has shattered peace and safety. Grant wisdom and discernment to President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Minister of Police, and all decision-makers as they contemplate deploying the army. Guide their actions to protect the vulnerable and restore stability, in alignment with Your justice and mercy. We pray for the soldiers who may support the police—surround them with protection and grant them courage and compassion to deter violence. Soften the hearts of the community, replacing fear with trust and cooperation, and break the cycle of retaliation. We acknowledge that this struggle goes beyond the physical; we bind spirits of murder and division, and we loose Your peace and reconciliation over Nelson Mandela Bay. Let this deployment serve as a means to push back evil and allow the Gospel to advance, bringing hope to broken communities. Stir a movement of Your Holy Spirit, heal families, raise godly leaders, and address the root causes of suffering. Bring lasting peace where violence has reigned, and glorify Your name in Nelson Mandela Bay.
In Jesus' name, we pray.
Amen.
Listen to the prayer here
Compiled by GAP Ministries
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