Mass gathering of 'Witnesses' in JHB

FOR the first time, thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses from across South Africa will gather at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg, for a national convention set to draw more than 20,000 attendees from August 1 to 3, 2025.

This gathering marks the start of a larger national series of over 90 conventions to be held across the country every weekend through November 2025. Jehovah’s Witnesses are one of the largest non-profit convention organisers in the world.

Among the religion’s most well-known members are international tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams.

According to organisers, this year’s convention theme is “Pure Worship!” and the Johannesburg event will be presented in English, Zulu, and Sesotho.

“We look forward to once again working with city officials to bring this exciting program to Midrand, Johannesburg,” said Mzamo Goloda, national spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Following the Johannesburg leg, the convention series will move to KwaZulu-Natal, where the Durban Exhibition Centre is expected to host over 12,000 attendees on the weekends of August 8–10, August 15–17, and August 22–24. These sessions will be presented in Zulu, English, and South African Sign Language.

“This year’s convention theme is intended to bring clarity to many people who are searching for hope,” said Goloda. “All in attendance should leave feeling refreshed and re-energised with the knowledge of what worship is all about and how this can help them cope with today’s challenges.”

Each three-day event is open to the public and free of charge. The programme will feature Bible-based video presentations, discourses, and interviews exploring the meaning of sincere reverence and worship. Highlights include:

• What is Pure Worship?

• Imitate Those Who Loved Pure Worship!

• Do You Worship What You Know?

In 2024, Jehovah’s Witnesses reported that nearly 11 million people attended more than 6,000 conventions worldwide.