ACDP Parliamentary newsletter - 8 September 2003
Here is the latest news from Parliament:
1. Catch Kent Durr on Radio Tygerberg and Steve Swart on 702/Cape Talk tonight
2. Excluding citizens abroad from voting unconstitutional
3. Children must be protected by Sexual Offences law
4. Crime does pay in SA
Indien u sou belangstel om in te teken op die ACDP se weeklikse Afrikaanse e-nuusbrief, skryf aan Johan Kriel by johankriel@acdp.org.za. Hierdeur sal u op die hoogte bly van 'n wye verskeidenheid sake wat die ACDP landswyd raak.
******************************************************
1. Catch Kent Durr on Radio Tygerberg tonight
ACDP MP in the National Council of Provinces Kent Durr will be speaking on Radio Tygerberg tonight after 6pm on making South Africa a success economically. Mr Durr is well-respected for his experience in the field of finance and economics and he will be explaining how biblical principles can be applied to ensure economic success.
Catch Steve on 702/Cape Talk tonight
ACDP MP Steve Swart will be discussing the Electoral Amendment Bill which excludes South African citizens abroad from voting in next year's general election. Steve argues that this is unconstitutional as all adult citizens are given the right to vote in elections in South Africa.
******************************************************
2. Excluding citizens abroad from voting unconstitutional
Media Statement by ACDP MP Steve Swart
8 September 2003
The decision by Cabinet to exclude South African citizens abroad from voting in next year's general election is unconstitutional, says ACDP spokesperson on home affairs Steve Swart.
"According to section 19 of the Constitution, all adult citizens are given the right to vote in elections in South Africa. This right was included in the 1994 Electoral Act, when South African citizens overseas were permitted to vote," Swart said.
In terms of the present draft, only government officials abroad will be permitted to vote. What about the large numbers of South Africans who are working for South African and other companies overseas or who find themselves overseas for a variety of reasons?" Swart asked.
"It is unacceptable that no provision has been made for the hundreds of thousands of South African citizens overseas to vote while prisoners will be permitted to vote," Swart said.
Swart also expressed his concerns about the delay in the tabling of the Electoral Amendment Bill in parliament.
"The delays in finalising the Bill have put the Home Affairs Portfolio Committee under extreme pressure and will have a knock-on effect on the Independent Electoral Commission's ability to prepare for next year's election," Swart said.
"We are also concerned that there does not seem to be a sufficiently strong enough campaign urging people to register to vote and the department of home affairs has no intention of conducting voter education programmes," Swart said.
"The home affairs department has a responsibility to deal with these electoral matters urgently in order for voters to have their voice heard. The ACDP has suggested a system of compulsory voter registration whereby voters can register to vote when applying for municipal services, such as electricity, water or rates. If the person is not registered, this system will ensure that the applicant signs a voter registration form before the service is provided, to ensure their registration.
"This procedures of automatic registration is the norm in many democratic countries and ensures a high degree of voter registration and participation at election time," Swart said.
For more information: Steve Swart MP at 083 285 6290
Media Liaison: Charmaine Horne at 084 370 3550 or 021 403 3307
******************************************************
3. Children must be protected by Sexual Offences law
Media Statement by ACDP MP Steve Swart
8 September 2003
It is critical that as many people as possible are given the opportunity to comment on the lowering of the age of sexual consent, says ACDP spokesperson on justice Steve Swart.
In terms of the new Bill, children between the ages of 12 and 16 years are permitted to engage in sexual experimentation with partners also below the age of 16. The age of consent for homosexual relations has been lowered from 19 to 16 years, for both genders.
Submissions on the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Amendment Bill that proposes lowering the age of sexual consent must be submitted to the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development before September 15.
"While the ACDP welcomes much of the Sexual Offences Bill, particularly relating to the extension of the definition of rape, the reduction of the age of consent is very concerning," says Swart.
"Cabinet's approval for legislation to lower the age for consensual sexual relations and experimentation interferes with the parental responsibility of teaching children about sex and encourages children to experiment sexually.
"The ACDP rejects the reduction of the age of consent for homosexual sex from the present age of 19 to 16, and even to 12 for homosexual experimentation between children. There is no doubt that children need to be protected from homosexual acts during their formative years," Swart said.
"The ACDP calls for a reconsideration of these age limits as the implications for our children are inestimable. Teenage years are fraught with emotional conflict as the transition from child to adult is made and our children need to be protected and guided, rather than encouraged to participate in homosexual and heterosexual sexual experimentation, with possible life-threatening consequences.
"We believe that the age of consent for heterosexual sex should be the same as that for marriage, which is 18, while the age of consent for homosexual relations should remain at 19," Swart said.
For more information: Steve Swart MP at 083 285 6290
Media Liaison: Charmaine Horne at 084 370 3550 or 021 403 3307
******************************************************
4. Crime does pay in SA
Media Statement by ACDP MP Steve Swart
8 September 2003
South African citizens do not feel safe from crime in their homes, businesses and on the roads despite assurances by the Minister of Safety and Security that the police are winning the battle against crime.
Commenting after a media briefing at Parliament today, ACDP spokesperson on criminal justice matters Steve Swart said that the government is failing in its primary task of protecting law-abiding citizens from crime.
"Statistics from various reports show that despite government assurances to the contrary, crime in this country does pay," Swart said.
"A recent report by the South African Law Reform Commission showed that nine out of 10 violent criminals get away with their crime, while out of every 100 violent crimes reported to the police, perpetrators in only six cases had been convicted after more than two years
"According to another report by Robert McCafferty from United Christian Action, for every 1000 crimes committed in South Africa, only 430 criminals are arrested. Of these, only 77 are convicted and barely eight of these are sentenced to two or more years of imprisonment.
"The most effective deterrent to crime is the sure knowledge that a criminal will be arrested, speedily tried and duly sentenced. In light of these statistics, clearly there is not a sufficient deterrent to crime.
"The ACDP promotes zero tolerance towards crime and our crime eradication strategy involves implementing stiffer sentences and adopting a restorative justice approach, incorporating restitution for certain property offences and capital punishment for crimes such as murder," Swart said.
For more information: Steve Swart MP at 083 285 6290
Media Liaison: Charmaine Horne at 084 370 3550 or 021 403 3307
******************************************************
For a full listing of all the public mailing lists on lists.acdp.org.za, visit http://lists.acdp.org.za/mailman/listinfo. Click on a list name to get more information about the list, or to subscribe, unsubscribe, and change the preferences on your subscription.