Catholic Youths in Southern Africa Urged to Pray for Flood Victims, Families in Tragic Accident

Johannesburg, 23 January, 2026 / 7:23 PM

Young people across various Dioceses of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) have been invited to unite in prayer for the victims of the recent floods in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, as they continue their January 22–31 Novena to St. Don Bosco.

In a circular issued on Thursday, January 22, the Interdiocesan Youth Chaplain for the SACBC Youth Ministry, Fr. Mahlako Motankane, also urged the youth to pray for the families of the 13 children who perished in a tragic road accident on January 19 within South Africa’s Catholic Archdiocese of Johannesburg.

“Pray for all those affected by the floods,” Fr. Mahlako said, referring to the hundreds of thousands of people impacted across Southern Africa, where there have been reports of deaths and widespread destruction.

Torrential rains that began in the region in mid-December 2025 reportedly intensified, triggering catastrophic flooding in several countries as rivers broke their banks and water levels climbed above alert thresholds.

Floodwaters reportedly surged through northern South Africa, particularly the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, sweeping away bridges and inundating homes. The renowned Kruger National Park was temporarily closed due to floodwaters rendering access roads impassable, forcing emergency evacuations of tourists and staff.

In Zimbabwe, authorities reported at least 70 deaths since the start of the year, along with extensive damage to homes, schools, and infrastructure as floodwaters tore through communities.

As the rains continued, Mozambique reported at least 103 deaths from flooding and related incidents, including drownings and infrastructure collapses. At the same time, more than 200,000 people were affected, with thousands of homes damaged or destroyed. Rescue operations were ongoing amid challenges reaching isolated communities.

In the January 22 circular, Fr. Motankane further appealed to youth in the Southern African region to remember in prayer the families of the children affected by the January 19 “horrific accident,” which, according to local media reports, claimed the lives of 13 schoolchildren, with 11 dying on the spot while two others succumbed to injuries in hospital while receiving treatment.

Stephen Cardinal Brislin of the Johannesburg Metropolitan See expressed deep sorrow in a Tuesday, January 20, condolence message following the tragic incident, describing it as “a heartbreaking loss.”

“Children are a precious gift from God, bearers of hope, promise, and joy. To have their lives cut short in this way is a grief beyond words, and we can only bow in humility before the mystery of such suffering,” Cardinal Brislin said.

Meanwhile, in his January 22 circular, the SACBC Interdiocesan Youth Chaplain emphasized the significance of the annual January 22-31 Novena to the Patron Saint of the youth, St. Don Bosco, noting that the spiritual exercise is not just “a norm nor practice.”

He encouraged the young people to understand the 10 days of prayer as “a fuller commitment of an individual or group to be aware of our Christian vocation in bringing Christ and making him known.”

“This is the call that this year we are invited to undertake," he added, calling upon the youth to use the spiritual exercise to realign their lives in the Lord, praying at least twice a day, and finding time for confession, spiritual direction, or mental wellness checks.

He said, “Let us remember that this prayer signifies the new beginnings. Let us pray the Novena with our minds, hearts, and souls united.”

"As the (youth) ministry's tradition, we begin this year with one faith, one hope, one love, and prayer. It signifies the unity we have in the mission we dearly uphold and pursue,” Fr. Motankane explained.