28th September 2026

Two mass shootings in separate incidents in South Africa have left 28 people dead.  Eighteen people were killed and 14 injured when eight gunmen entered a bar near Johannesburg on Saturday evening, with 14 more injured. The gunmen torched vehicles as they fled the scene.  In the early hours of Sunday morning, 10 people were killed outside an entertainment venue near Cape Town and a further 11 were injured. The two attacks happened days after a mass shooting by three gunmen at a house party near Durban killed 11 people, including a pregnant woman. South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world. “This ​cannot go on like this,” South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, told local TV news channels. “This is the level of criminality that we must bring down, and our security forces are now going ⁠to continue pulling out all stops.” Motivation for the violence is currently only speculation.

Loving God, we cry with the people of South Africa living with violence and fear. We ask your loving care for all who mourn the deaths of people they loved, and for your healing for all who have been injured in these violent atrocities. May the authorities diligently and persistently bring the country to a place where law and order prevails, and where no one need fear violent gun attacks. Guide your Church in South Africa that it will proclaim a message of love, forgiveness and reconciliation and work to bring unity to communities and foster healing. Loving God, we ask this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Whilst mental health is a growing political and social priority in Europe, suicide rates are falling, according to the latest Eurostat data. The standardised suicide death rate has declined from around 12.2 per 100,000 people, to 10.4 in 2023. Since June 2023, the European Commission has bolstered its approach to mental health, recognising its link to "social and economic resilience" The EU is addressing suicide prevention through a raft of mental health initiatives, backed by more than €1.2 billion worth of investment in EU4Health, Horizon Europe and Erasmus+. The Commission has also backed member states with teacher training, peer-support models, and tools to detect and respond to mental distress early.

Psalm 99: 1-5

The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!

He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!

The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.

Let them praise your great and awesome name!

Holy is he!

The King in his might loves justice.

You have established equity;

you have executed justice

and righteousness in Jacob.

Exalt the Lord our God;

worship at his footstool!

Holy is he!