Johannesburg, 23 January, 2026 / 7:23 pm (ACI Africa).
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.
