“Some of us who are Christians sometimes have the feeling that some of the laws we make are not as appropriate as they should be to the principles of God”, says President Jacob Zuma.

Zuma was speaking at a service of the Hazendal Methodist Church in Cape Town yesterday morning.

His statement might set alarm bells ringing with those who feel Zuma is becoming too close to evangelical Rhema Church leader Ray McCauley. Last week, a group called “Get your hands off my rights, Ray McCauley” was launched on Facebook. The group of nearly 1500 members features a profile photo of McCauley sharing a podium with Zuma. It warns that McCauley “wants to tamper with same sex marriage legislation and laws surrounding abortion”.

Zuma did not go into details about which laws he thinks are un-Christian, but told the congregation that South Africa was “a religious country”. He said the ANC had “always looked upon God for the work it does”.

He told the congregation that “those in authority have changed the manner in which they discharge their authority. Don’t pray for us only, but give us advice because we live in a troubled world”.

Zuma then headed for Saint Mary’s Anglican Church in Gugulethu. There, speaking in isiZulu, he asked about 500 enthusiastic congregants to pray for the government, so that it did “not get tempted”.

“Ruling a country is not easy. There are too many things that tempt a person in authority. Authority or power can corrupt a person. Power can make a person think he is superior and that he is different than others. Help us by praying for us that we do not get tempted,” Zuma said.

The day before, Zuma paid tribute to ANC national executive committee member Tony Yengeni’s family, at the funeral of Yengeni’s father, Leslie Yengeni, at the Gugulethu Sports Complex on Saturday.

Proving that the Yengenis are still a powerful force inside the ANC, cabinet ministers and ANC leaders turned out in full force for the funeral, lining up as pallbearers alongside the coffin as Zuma spoke.

These were ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe and former deputy president Baleka Mbete, minister of planning in the Presidency Trevor Manuel, police minister Nathi Mthethwa, minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Tina Joemat-Pettersson, [crt] Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, deputy human settlements minister Zoe Kota-Fredericks, deputy police minister Fikile Mbalula, and ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema.

Zuma described the Yengeni family as “part of the ANC”, paying tribute to the family’s participation in the struggle.

“What happened to the Yengeni family has happened to us. On behalf of the ANC, we feel your pain,” said Zuma.