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Wednesday, September 17, 2008
ACDP calls for immediate reinstatement of Pikoli and parliamentary steps to protect independence of NPA
ATTENTION NEWS EDITOR
MEDIA RELEASE BY MR STEVE SWART, MP,
AFRICAN CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY
17th SEPTEMBER 2008
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PIKOLI – NPA: ACDP calls for immediate reinstatement of Pikoli and parliamentary steps to protect independence of NPA
*Says Ginwala Commission of Inquiry’s importance is if it also shows political interference in NPA.
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ACDP MP and spokesperson on Justice matters, Steve Swart, has called for the immediate reinstatement of Adv. Vusi Pikoli as National Director of Public Prosecutions following Nicholson’s judgment of last week.
“Whilst we appreciate that the judgment of Judge Chris Nicholson may be the subject of an appeal, his finding that there was a pattern of political interference in the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is disturbing and must be urgently addressed by parliament.
As the judge pointed out, “The independence of the Judiciary is directly related to, and depends upon, the independence of the legal professions of the NDPP. Undermining this freedom from outside influence would lead to the entire legal process, including the functioning of the Judiciary, being held hostage to those interests that might be threatened by a fearless, committed and independent search for the truth”.
The judge went on to say that “it is a matter of grave concern that this process has taken place in the new South Africa given the ravages it caused under the Apartheid order”.
Judge Nicholson found that there should be no relationship between the National Director and the Minister of Justice – “certainly insofar as his decisions to prosecute or not to prosecute anybody from the Commission of Police downwards” and that “the suspension of the National Director was a most ominous move that struck at the core of a crucial state institution.”
In view of this finding, it is clear that the Ginwala Inquiry is important should it highlight the President and the Minister of Justice’s political interference in the NPA but otherwise, in terms of Pikoli’s fitness to hold office, it has become irrelevant. How can it inquire as to whether there was a breakdown in relations between the National Director and the Minister of Justice resulting in Adv. Pikoli not being fit to hold the position of National Director, if there should not have been such a relationship in the first place.
The ACDP consequently calls for the immediate reinstatement of Adv. Pikoli as the National Director of Public Prosecutions.
As far as protecting the independence of the NPA in general is concerned, the Justice Portfolio Committee will be considering the implications of the Nicholson judgment later today. The ACDP will, at the very least, recommend that we increase our parliamentary oversight function to ensure that there is no political interference from the side of the Executive in the exercise of prosecutorial discretion of the NPA.
We also need to obtain legal certainty as to the nature of the relationship, if any, between the Minister of Justice and the National Director when the Minister exercises her oversight function over the NPA. We will also recommend the National Director in future be appointed in a similar manner as a judge, as recommended by Judge Nicholson in order to prevent what happened to Adv. Pikoli recurring and ensuring the independence of the NPA."
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For more information, contact
Steve Swart MP,
083 285 6290
Released by Libby Norton,
ACDP Media Attaché,
Tel - 07 25 70 6361
lnorton@parliament.gov.za
Monday, September 1, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
ACDP questions involvement of MP's investigated by Scorpions
ATTENTION NEWS EDITOR **IMPORTANT **
MEDIA RELEASE BY MR STEVE SWART, MP,
AFRICAN CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY
22nd May 2008
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SCORPIONS HEARINGS – ACDP questions involvement of MP's investigated by Scorpions;
commends input by National Prosecuting Authority.
Following the first day of public hearings into the future of the Scorpions, ACDP MP and spokesperson on justice matters, Steve Swart, is questioning the involvement of MP's investigated by Scorpions and commends input by National Prosecuting Authority:
"The ACDP raised various issues during the first day of public hearings into the future of the Scorpions. We are awaiting a ruling from the joint chairpersons as to whether Members of Parliament who have been or are being investigated by the Scorpions should sit on the Committees dealing with the very future of the unit investigating them. In our view there is a clear conflict of interest and such members should be excused from the Committees.
We also raised our concerns that the bills under consideration exclude prosecutors from the new Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation within the SAPS. The principle of constant prosecutorial oversight in investigations formed the cornerstone of the success of the Scorpions. This crucial aspect will be lost if the bills in their present form are accepted, and flies in the face of the State President's commitment earlier this year that the "continued involvement of the prosecuting authority will ensure that the operations of the [new]specialised unit are both prosecution and intelligence driven".
The most compelling submission was by the National Prosecuting Authority which, whilst committing itself to ensure that government policy is implemented as successfully as possible, stated unambiguously that the bills "fail to set out in a coherent fashion a legal rationale, legislative aim, reasonable objectives, and sufficiently underlying reasoning and explanations for their foundation."
This view supports the ACDP's submission, to be presented on Thursday that the Bills are inconsistent with the principle of legality in that they do not have a rationale connection to a legitimate government purpose, especially considering the high success rate of the Scorpions, are thus unconstitutional and liable to be set aside.
It is outrageous that the Scorpions are being disbanded, in our view to protect senior ANC members from investigation, particularly considering the escalating and highly complex nature of organised crime. We, as parliamentarians, must be mindful of the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry that concluded "it is inconceivable that the Legislature will see fit to repeal the provisions of the NPA Act that relate to the activities and location of the DSO."
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For more information, contact
Steve Swart MP,
083 285 6290
Released by Libby Norton,
ACDP Media Attaché,
Tel - 07 25 70 6361
lnorton@parliament.gov.za
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
ACDP says the MKMVA warlike threats are highly irresponsible
MEDIA RELEASE
Rev Kenneth Meshoe, M.P. and President of the ACDP
African Christian Democratic Party.
5th August 2008
ACDP says the MKMVA warlike threats are highly irresponsible, dangerous and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
*Calls on Human Rights Commission to investigate these statements concerning Jacob Zuma that threaten South Africa’s constitutional democracy.
*Calls on ANC leadership to remember their commitment to rule of law and prevail upon their members to allow due process.
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Rev Kenneth Meshoe, MP and President of the ACDP, today said the latest threats demanding ANC President Jacob Zuma’s charges be dropped together with the threats by ANC members are highly irresponsible, dangerous and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
"The warlike statements of the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veteran's Associations (MKMVA) and some elements in the ANC regarding Mr Zuma, are clearly intended to intimidate the judiciary in order to get his case withdrawn. These threats are regrettable and totally unacceptable as they cause fear and alarm to the general public, to foreign investors as well as the international organizers and potential supporters of the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
Statements that have been credited to Deputy National Secretary of Umkhonto we Sizwe, Ramatuku Maphutha, such as “No Zuma, no country”, are highly irresponsible, dangerous and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. If quoted correctly, Mr Maphutha must explain to the nation what he meant by “soldiers would be in the trenches awaiting order and would be ready to challenge the system if called to do so.”
The ACDP calls upon the Human Rights Commission to investigate these statements as they threaten our constitutional democracy implying that no other political leader within the ANC, let alone a leader outside of the ANC, will be acceptable to them.
The ANC has always spoken about their commitment to the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary that are entrenched in our constitution. We therefore appeal to the ANC leadership to prevail upon their members to allow the due process of law to take its course and the courts to function in a climate free of fear and political pressure. Constitutionally, no person or organ of state may interfere with functioning of the courts. We therefore expect the ANC to remind their members of this commitment and to ensure that their members do not label some court decisions as “arrogant” just because they do not agree with them.
The ACDP calls for peace and sanity to reign."
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For more information, contact
Rev Kenneth Meshoe, M.P. and President of the ACDP,
082 962 5884
Or
Ms Libby Norton
ACDP Press Attaché,
Parliament.
07 25 70 636l
lnorton@parliament.gov.za
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
ACDP launches new weekly TV program
The ACDP will be launching its brand new weekly Television program called Salt and Light on this Saturday, 2ND August 2008 at 8:00pm on the Thy Kingdom Come Channel (TKC TV).
Thy Kingdom Come Channel is available on DSTV and should you not have Thy kingdom Come (TKC TV) tuned in on your decoder please find settings included below for TKC and other Christian stations. Please forward this notice to your database, churches, local community organisations and as many of your friends and family as possible.
Please contact our national office for more details.
Yours in Christ
Wesley Douglas
ACDP National Marketing and Media Person
HOW DO YOU TUNE IN TO TKC AND OTHER CHRISTIAN STATIONS?
G11 - Decoder (Tuning Instructions)
1.) Clear All Transponder Settings…
- Press the "Menu" button on the remote and select "Transponder Settings"…
- Select "Del Transponder " from the menu and remove all transponder settings from the list.
2.) Setup New Transponder Settings…
- Press the "Menu" button on the remote and select "Transponder Settings"…
- Select "Add Transponder" from the menu and enter the following settings respectively.
Channel(s) Description Local Freq. Frequency Symbol Rate Polarity 22kHz Tone
The Spirit Word Channel (Ps 91), Hope , TCT, CTV 00000 02026 26406 V ON
DayStar, LoveWorld, 3ABN, Emmanual TV, Judah , 00000 01986 26406 H ON
TKC, Divine, Manna, iNsight
God TV 00000 00977 26375 V ON
Mana
Additional…
Health Channel 00000 01331 14718 H OFF
Botswana TV 00000 01876 14834 V OFF
iA Virtual 1 10600 11900 29687 V OFF
Learning Channel (SEN3) 10600 12020 26375 V OFF
3.) Sort Channel List & Remove Unwanted Channels…
- Press the "Menu" button on the remote and select "Program List"…
- Move channels to the following order and delete other blocked channels…
1. Ps 91 (The Spirit Word Channel)
2. God TV
3. DayStar
4. TCT
5. Love World
6. Hope
7. 3ABN
8. Judah
9. Emmanual TV
10. TKC
11. Divine
12. CTV
13. Mana
14. Manna Africa
15. iNsight
16. Learning Channel (SEN3)
17. Health Channel
18. Botswana TV
19. iA Virtual 1
20. VwAfr
Tuning instructions for DSTV Decoder
Menu
Advance Options
OK
Dish Installation
OK
Pin code: 9949
New Window
1. Home Network DSTV Pas 7 (Do not change this network)
2. Network 2 Disabled
3. Network 3 Disabled
4. More Networks
5.
6. Scan all Networks
7. Reset to Factory Defaults
To tune to Spirit Word Channel
Go to Network 2
Press OK button
Change disable to Pas7 with right arrow
Press OK
New window
Do not alter any settings from point 1 to point 5. These are the LNB settings.
6. Frequency
Press Ok
Change to 11170
Press OK
7. Symbol Rate
Press OK
Change to 26652 – Press OK
8. FEC
Press OK
Change to 5/6
Press OK
9. Polarization
Press OK – Change to Vertical
Press OK
10. Use NIT must be set to Yes
11. ACCEPT ALL DISPLAYED VALUES AND LEAVE SCREEN .
After accepting settings (point 11 above) the program will jump back to the preview screen.
Go down to point number 6 (SCAN ALL NETWORKS) Press OK and wait for rescanning of stations.
For additional Christian Channels (The Spirit Word Channel is not on this network)
Network 3 OK – Change disable to Pas 7 – OK
New window
1 to 5 – LNB SETTINGS DO NOT CHANGE
6. Frequency 12682
7. Symbol Rate 26657
8. FEC ½
9. Pol. – Horizontal
10. Use NIT – Yes
11. Accept – OK
Please note that you will only pick up Spirit Word Channel once the setting of Network 2 has been entered.
Press TV button. Go to Pas7\\1O
Press OK and search for Spirit Word
Channel + on channel no. 28
Point No. 6 Scan all networks.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Do not recognize Mugabe presidency says ACDP
ATTENTION NEWS EDITOR
MEDIA RELEASE
ACDP Parliament
Cheryllyn Dudley, MP and Whip
30th June 2008
Do not recognize Mugabe presidency says ACDP.
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The ACDP has appealed to the African Union and the international community not to recognize Mugabe’s presidency. ACDP MP & Whip, Cheryllyn Dudley:
"The ACDP is shocked and angry that a UN Security Council statement has been watered down after South Africa’s objections. The whole world recognises that the results of the Zimbabwe run-off and indeed the election preceding it, was neither free nor fair. The elections should have been soundly rejected, but the United Nations failed to call them illegitimate because of our South African objections. We are ashamed.
We are disturbed at reports of Robert Mugabe having said he is going to the African Union summit "to see whose finger there is clean." We appeal to African leaders not to buckle to Robert Mugabe’s intimidation.
Before them is the opportunity to show Robert Mugabe that his terrorism against his own people is unacceptable in the new Africa by refusing to recognize his presidency. The ACDP sees this moment as one that could tip the scales in Zimbabwe in favour of democracy and be a moment to redeem ourselves in the light of the world and the people of the continent.
The ACDP is concerned about President Thabo Mbeki’s take over of chairmanship of SADC in August. His bias and discrimination against the people of Zimbabwe in order to cover and condone Mugabe’s brutal terror tactics has been despicable. We urge African leaders to stand up as statesmen and reject Mugabe’s illegitimate status as Zimbabwe’s president."
