Mashatile made this appeal during his visit to Khayelitsha township in Cape Town yesterday, ahead of the ANC's January 8th celebrations for its 113th anniversary.

The celebrations, which mark the anniversary of Africa's oldest liberation movement, will be held in Khayelitsha next weekend. Mashatile emphasized the importance of continued collaboration between the government and churches to improve the quality of life for South Africans.

"We also work with them when it comes to other social ills, as we know in many of our communities we are facing problems of drugs that are affecting many of our young people, gender-based violence, people are struggling with unemployment. We think the Church has a huge role to play in addressing those challenges working with government," Mashatile stated.

Mashatile's visit to Khayelitsha highlights the ANC's commitment to addressing pressing social issues and fostering partnerships with religious institutions to create a safer and more supportive environment for all South Africans.

--SABC/ChannelAfrica--