South Africa

Capitals: Pretoria, Cape Town, Bloemfontein

Major Languages: English, Afrikaans

Area: 1.3 million km2

Population: 60.3 million

HDI Rank: 114 of 189

Major Religion:

Protestant: 35 million (58%)

Other Religions:

Catholic: 4.2 million (7%)

Zion Christianity: 7 million (12%)

Other: 14 million (23%)

General Information:

South Africa is known as the “Rainbow Nation,” due to its many ethnicities. The Portuguese sailed around the southern tip of Africa in the late 1400s. In 1652 the Dutch set up a colony, and by 1806 the British took over the Dutch settlement. They formed a new country called the Union of South Africa in 1910. In 1931, the union was fully sovereign from the United Kingdom. Up until 1994 it was ruled by a white minority government, which enforced a separation of races with its policy called Apartheid. Most popular sports in the country are soccer and cricket.

Religious Background:

A diverse variety of African Traditional Religions of the early Khoisan and later Bantu speakers were practiced in the region prior to contact with European seafarers and settlers. South Africa is a secular state with a diverse religious population. Its Constitution guarantees freedom of religion. Religion in South Africa is dominated by various branches of Christianity. Protestant Christianity was introduced by the Dutch and the British during the apartheid era. About 15% of the population do not identify themselves with any religion.

Catholic background:

The Catholic Church first came to South Africa by the Portuguese explorers in the 15th century. A small hermitage was built in 1501, and a Catholic Church in 1635. However, the Catholic presence in the region ended by mid-17th century. Dutch Calvinists (called Boers) who occupied the region were intolerant of Catholicism and expelled all priests and missionaries, causing the disappearance of Catholic life until the 19th century. The Church is composed of 5 archdioceses, 20 dioceses and 736 parishes. Patron saints: Our Lady of Assumption, Martin of Tours.

Prayer Points

1. South Africans to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior

Pray that everyone will get an opportunity to hear the gospel and come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

2. Catholics to know Christ

Pray for the salvation of 4.2 million Catholics in South Africa.
Catholicism is influenced by secularization and nominalism. Pray that they would have a personal relationship with Jesus and make Him their Lord and Savior.
Pray that the Spirit of God will give boldness in generating and taking opportunities to share the gospel with Catholics.
Pray that they will walk in holiness and obedience to the word of God, and not follow man-made rituals or traditions.
Pray for all the Catholics attending the 736 parishes to come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Pray for the cardinals, archbishops, bishops, 1,098 priests, 1,132 brothers and 2,577 sisters.
Ask God to send Catholics a witness to clearly proclaim the gospel so that they can know and trust Jesus, and worship God in spirit and truth.

3. Evangelicals to grow and multiply

Evangelical Christianity has seen an exponential growth in the recent past. However, the church is devoid of godly and able leadership. Pray for the spiritual growth in the church and for the development of leaders. Pray that many Evangelical Christians will be led to go into the harvest field to reach out to the lost, as missionaries.

4. Social evils and issues in the country

The nation faces great ethnic tension, and also high murder rates, corruption, crime, and an HIV/AIDS epidemic. Pray that God would bring about racial peace and harmony in the country.

5. Other Religions

Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and Bahá'í Faith prevail in the country. A huge segment of the population is irreligious. Pray that they would realize that salvation is in no other name, and they would call only on the Name of Jesus to be saved.