ACDP ANNOUNCES THAT IT IS LEAVING THE MULTI PARTY GOVERNMENT IN THE CITY OF CAPE TOWN.

African Christian Democratic Party

Media Release
Attention News Editor
ACDP Parliament
11th June 2009

ACDP ANNOUNCES THAT IT IS LEAVING THE MULTI PARTY GOVERNMENT IN THE CITY OF CAPE TOWN.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ACDP President, Rev. KRJ Meshoe, MP today announced that the ACDP is walking away from the Multi Party Government of the City of Cape Town and all other municipalities in the Western Cape where it governs with the Democratic Alliance (DA).

“We regret having to make this decision but we do so due to the bad faith of the DA who has broken the City Multi Party Government (MPG) agreement, signed in March 2006, and a similar agreement in Theewaterskloof municipality (where the DA unilaterally removed the ACDP’s Mayco member Cllr. Simmers in May 2009).

The DA broke the City MPG agreement in May 2009 by announcing their intention to remove the ACDP’s office bearer (Cllr. Haskin) from its negotiated post of Executive Deputy Mayor of Cape Town, basing their decision on allegations against two other ACDP office bearers. The details of these allegations have still not been provided by the DA in spite of their written undertaking to do so on 11 May 2009. The DA used their larger caucus numbers in council to pass their motion of no–confidence in Cllr. Haskin.

Allow me to briefly sketch the necessary background to the Multi Party Agreement in Cape Town.

The ACDP played a key role in setting up the City of Cape Town MPG after the municipal election of March 2006, by forming a forum of smaller parties, which then agreed to invite the DA to form the MPG. Similar agreements have existed in other municipalities in the Western Cape but none of these agreements were ever dependant on each other.

In January 2007, the Cape Town MPG’ s slim and fragile majority of 1 seat ended when the African Muslim Party (AMP) was kicked out for plotting with the ANC to overthrow the MPG.

For most onlookers, the announcement regarding the AMP’s leaving and the Independent Democrats (ID) joining shortly thereafter appeared as a mature, seamless transition. But it was the ACDP who, alone, re-secured the future of this government by offering up its most senior seat (Executive Deputy Mayor of Cape Town) in order to draw the ID into the government. This selfless act is yet to be repeated by another party in the government. Had the ACDP not done so, the City government’s vital vision of presenting a successful coalition to all South Africans would have ended there and then.

The ACDP’s sacrifice restored the MPG, brought about a more comfortable majority, and ensured political stability in Cape Town. The DA continually chooses to ignore this.

But in Sept 2007, the then Executive Mayor, Helen Zille, rejected the ACDP’s choice for Deputy Mayor (being Cllr. Haskin), eventually admitting publicly that they wanted the post for themselves. Though the DA eventually capitulated and reluctantly agreed that the ACDP could retain this post, this clearly indicates how desperate they were to obtain this particular post.

The DA finally succeeded in taking this post from the ACDP on 27 May 2009 and publicly admitted once again that they need the post “to be as effective as possible politically”. This proves that their taking the post has nothing to do with their claims and allegations against the ACDP.

The ACDP walks away from governing with the DA in the Western Cape because we are not prepared to be used and discarded by the DA when they no longer need us, this particularly after they needed us in order to begin governing and to achieve the remarkable success in governing.

The ACDP remains committed to the principles, vision and need for multi party governance in South Africa, to participate in such governments and to contribute to their success across South Africa. However, the kind of treatment we have been subjected to by the DA does not bode well for all partner parties, especially given the likelihood of there being no outright winner in the 2011 Local Government Elections in certain municipalities or the 2014 National Elections in certain Provinces.

In conclusion we wish to thank the former Executive Deputy Mayor, Cllr Grant Haskin, for his exemplary track record of hard work, dedication and initiative during his term in office as the Executive Deputy Mayor of Cape Town. Amongst numerous examples, in his term he delivered South Africa's first two municipal outpatient treatment centers for alcohol and drug users (with two more opening this year), South Africa's first municipal 24/7 toll free helpline for alcohol and drug related challenges, and represented not only Host City Cape Town, but indeed South Africa as 2010 Fifa World Cup hosts with excellence, ably presenting the Host City's 2010 progress and readiness to scores of international guests, journalists, Fifa and senior politicians. The ACDP is proud of these achievements which prove that we are ready and able to govern whenever the opportunity presents itself”.

Ends-
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more information please contact:
Rev KRJ Meshoe, MP and President: 082 962 5884
ACDP Media Liaison: Liziwe Ndalana
Tel: 021 403 3307/ 072 103 8899

90-DAY PRAYER GUIDE (30 Days x3) DAY 20

DAY 20 Pray the Blessing: 1 Thess 5:23-24 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
Declare your faith: I confess and believe that God sent the Holy Spirit so empower the Church to fulfill the purposes of God on this earth in my generation (Acts 1:8; 2 Tim 1:9)
Pray on foot: Pray at the place where the gospel entered into your city or nation, or at a site where you can declare that God’s purpose for your nation is to know Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Saviour of the world.

90-DAY PRAYER GUIDE (30 Days x3) DAY 19

DAY 19 Pray the Blessing: John 4:6-14 Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock." Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
Declare your faith: I believe and confess that Jesus Christ is the giver of the water of life, and that He has given us everything to live a godly life (Rev 21:6; 2 Pet 1:3).
Pray on foot: Pray at the water source of your town or city, e.g. well, oasis, fountain, storage tank, and ask for a release of the living water in your community.

90-DAY PRAYER GUIDE (30 Days x3) DAY 18

DAY 18 Pray the Blessing: Ps 119:1-8 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!
Declare your faith: I believe and confess that Jesus is a righteous judge and that his kingdom is a kingdom of righteousness (Rev 9:11; Isa 9:7).
Pray on foot: Pray at your magistrate office or town council that those who make decisions on behalf of the city will do it in accordance with God’s standards of righteousness.

90-DAY PRAYER GUIDE (30 Days x3) DAY 17

DAY 17 Pray the Blessing: Ps 33:10-19 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.
Declare your faith: I believe and confess that Jesus Christ does not want anyone to perish but all people to come to the saving knowledge of Him as the Son of God (2 Pet 3:9; John 3:16)
Pray on foot: Share the gospel today with at least one unbeliever and pray for those nations and people groups who have not yet heard the gospel of Jesus Christ.

90-DAY PRAYER GUIDE (30 Days x3) DAY 16

DAY 16 Pray the Blessing: Luke 6:27-35 "But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
Declare your faith: I believe and confess that through Jesus Christ, I was reconciled to God and that I received the ministry of reconciliation so that through doing good evil will be overcome
(2 Cor 5:19; 1 Pet 3:9; Rom 12:21)
Pray on foot: Pray for anyone who you believe to be your enemy and bless him/her today by doing a good deed

90-DAY PRAYER GUIDE (30 Days x3) DAY 15

DAY 15 Pray the Blessing: Deut 28:11-14 And the LORD will make you abound in prosperity, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your livestock and in the fruit of your ground, within the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give you. The LORD will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them, and if you do not turn aside from any of the words that I command you today, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
Declare your faith: I confess and believe that the God of heaven and earth can open the windows of heaven and supply in all the needs of my nation (Mal 3:10; 2 Cor 9:7-10)
Pray on foot: Pray at the economic headquarters of your nation, e.g. stock exchange, reserve bank, financial institutions, banks, etc.

90-DAY PRAYER GUIDE (30 Days x3) DAY 14

DAY 14 Pray the Blessing: Matt 25:31-40 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
Declare your faith: I believe and confess that Jesus Christ came set the captives free and that by his death on the cross He broke the hold of sin over our lives (Luke 4:18).
Pray on foot: Visit a prison today and pray for the prisoners, their families and their needs.

90-DAY PRAYER GUIDE (30 Days x3) DAY 13

DAY 13 Pray the Blessing: Ps 92:12-15 The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
Declare your faith: I believe and confess that the Holy Spirit is the Comforter sent by Jesus to be our helper (John 14:16-18)
Pray on foot: Pray for and perform a kind deed for an old person today or visit an old-age home to pray for the people.

90-DAY PRAYER GUIDE (30 Days x3) DAY 12

DAY 12 Pray the Blessing: Phil 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus..
Declare your faith: I believe and confess that Jesus is faithful and just and that He will supply all our needs (2 Tim 2:13; Phil 4:19)
Pray on foot: Pray at refugee camps or places where displaced people stay e.g. night shelters. Demonstrate the love and care of God to them visibly by helping them to build shelters or giving towards their needs.