Thousands of Zion Christian Church (ZCC) worshippers are making their way to Moria in Limpopo, with authorities warning motorists to brace for significant congestion as one of the province’s biggest religious gatherings gets under way.
More than 4,000 buses from across South Africa are expected to travel towards the church’s headquarters this weekend, while midi-buses and minibuses from Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia are also expected to swell traffic volumes.
The annual concentration, led by ZCC Bishop Barnabas Lekganyane, runs from Friday to Sunday and is expected to reach its climax on Sunday when Lekganyane leads the main church service.
The sheer number of people travelling to Moria has once again placed transport and road safety at the centre of preparations.
A massive movement of worshippers
Limpopo’s Department of Transport and Community Safety has warned that traffic will be particularly heavy on routes leading into Moria and during the return journey on Sunday afternoon.
Buses are expected to begin moving towards the area after 11pm on Friday, with traffic flowing from several directions.
These include the N1 northbound from Gauteng and southbound from Musina and Makhado, as well as routes from Groblersbridge and Beitbridge towards Polokwane.
The R37, D4040 and the N1 bypass towards the R71 are also expected to experience increased traffic.
The department has urged motorists to be patient, avoid speeding, make sure their vehicles are roadworthy and follow instructions from traffic officials.
Provincial traffic officers will be deployed along major routes to help manage the movement of vehicles and pilgrims.
The numbers show just how big Moria has become
The scale of this weekend’s operation follows a major transport mobilisation earlier this year when more than 550 Putco buses were deployed to transport ZCC members to Moria for the Easter pilgrimage.
At the time, Putco said about 95% of those buses had entered Limpopo, with roughly 60% having reached Moria.
The company also positioned spare buses and mechanical teams along the routes to respond to breakdowns, while drivers were required to take compulsory stops to manage fatigue and reduce the risk of road accidents.
The latest figures suggest that the movement of worshippers for the current gathering will be considerably broader, with thousands of buses expected from around the country and neighbouring states.
Moria becomes a sea of worshippers
For the ZCC, Moria is far more than simply the location of its headquarters.
The Limpopo site has become an important spiritual destination for the church’s followers, who travel long distances to participate in major gatherings, worship together and hear from the church leadership.
The annual concentration also draws prominent figures beyond the church.
According to the provincial authorities, political party leaders, senior traditional leaders and business figures are expected to attend Sunday’s proceedings alongside Bishop Lekganyane.
That combination of religious, traditional, political and business figures further increases the importance of the gathering and the pressure on authorities to ensure that the event runs safely.
Police and traffic officials prepare for the influx
With such a large number of vehicles expected on Limpopo’s roads, road safety remains a major concern.
Authorities are preparing for traffic volumes to increase from Friday night, with the return journey expected to create another major surge on Sunday afternoon.
Officials have appealed to drivers to exercise patience, particularly when sharing the roads with buses and other vehicles transporting worshippers.
The earlier Easter operation demonstrated the level of logistical planning required when thousands of ZCC members travel to Moria, including additional vehicles, roadside mechanical support and measures aimed at preventing driver fatigue.
This weekend, the challenge is once again to keep the enormous flow of pilgrims moving while ensuring that worshippers and other road users reach their destinations safely.
