Heritage Day - Celebrating 20 years of democracy

18 September 2014
ACDP Parliament


Heritage Day -Celebrating 20 years of democracy:
‘Tell your story that moves South Africa forward’
Speech by Cheryllyn Dudley, MP and Whip


Freedom of Religion not about creating ‘one religion for all’ but allowing people the freedom to share their belief respectfully


“I will not have time today to talk to the story of our youth – I would however like to quote one young man in the North West Province Kagiso Monyadiwa who says ‘National Heritage Day is a day to celebrate the contribution of all South Africans to the building of this country.  What we have done well, was to realise that we are all South African - the challenge now is the economic imbalance amongst us which still divides us and must be dealt with!’

Instead I will speak to the story of faith-based South Africans and Christians in particular who would like us to re-look at government’s policy on Religion in Schools.  They say this with the conviction that we are tearing at the fabric of our society when we impose unrealistic guidelines that prevent learners, parents and communities from influencing the religious ethos of their local schools.  Freedom of Religion is not about creating ‘one religion for all’ but allowing people the freedom to believe as they please and to share their belief respectfully and peacefully. Religion and culture are closely related and should not be stifled.

Clearly this freedom like all others must not negatively impact on others but all learners and students should be able to proudly acknowledge their religious and cultural beliefs and express themselves in line with these in a manner that does not impose on others.

Without outside interference, where the majority of learners at a school are of one faith - eg Christian, Muslim, Catholic etc, it follows that the ethos of that school will appear to be that of the religion of the majority and where the community is more evenly spread across religions the diversity will be more apparent in the ethos.

There is general agreement that factual learning about all religions can be useful but many parents specifically want their children in a school that embraces and teaches their values and I know Christians feel very strongly about this.  Madiba is reported to have said in 1999 that religion was one of the motivating factors in everything he did, ‘without the church,’ he said ‘without religious institutions, I would never have been here today’.

For a significant majority of people in South Africa who believe in Jesus and have chosen a Christian way of life it is important to obey Jesus command of ‘Let the children come to me’ and they passionately agree with the words of Eben Le Roux ('A Silence that Kills) that, ‘as long as we deny the call of Jesus to bring the children to Him we will deny ourselves the most important platform for peace’.

In essence he says: When our children grow up being taught they are their own god and are in need of no other help they suffer from arrogance – arrogant people are selfish, selfish people are disruptive and disruptive people behave like fools.

Faith based parents instil their religious values in their children from the cradle.  Christians for example, teach their children to love God, love others, forgive and care for others and to follow the ‘ten commandments’, so that as they grow up these become firmly held moral standards.

Most of all a relationship with Jesus, is something that does not get switched on and off and no matter how many guidelines there are that say otherwise, Christians will not be free to be themselves if they cannot acknowledge their creator and saviour whether at school, work or home.  We know religious extremism leads to shutting down freedom of religion but we have come a long way and we should be able to explore ways of ensuring freedom of religion without denying our children the freedom to live theirs in their daily lives.  This will move South Africa forward.

‘The rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation, said Madiba, is our children. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth, those who care for and protect our people.  Our children, he said, are our greatest treasure. They are our future. Those who abuse them tear at the fabric of our society and weaken our nation’.”


For more information contact Cheryllyn Dudley, MP, 082-890-6520 (SMS best for urgent response)

Media enquiries: Keeno Petersen, Media Liaison Officer, ACDP - Parliament, Tel: 021-403-3307 or Cell: 076-734-9067 or Email: kpetersen@parliament.gov.za

ACDP commends considered approach to Medical Innovation Bill

ACDP Parliament
Media Release
Cheryllyn Dudley, MP and Whip
17 September 2014

ACDP Member of Parliament, Cheryllyn Dudley, attended a briefing this morning on the Medical Innovation Bill which has been introduced by the Honourable Narend Singh (IFP) and has been referred to the Health Portfolio Committee.

The presentation held the view that since one in three people in South Africa will get cancer, many thousands of cancer patients in this country who are told to 'go home and die' will remain without access to innovative alternatives.

The response from the committee chairperson was that a lot of work is still to be done and that other committees such as Trade and Industry and Science and Technology will need to engage.

Members expressed the need for there to be a rational evidence based approach to this Bill and not an emotional one in view of its connection to the late Hon Mario Oriani-Ambrosini (IFP).

Dudley says that, “The ACDP agrees in principle with legislation making provision for innovation, keeping in mind that the National Health Act speaks to this in detail and will need to be carefully considered.

We know that presently morphine (a form of heroine) is used for pain control for terminally ill cancer patients - morphine is toxic and lethal as it actively speeds up the death of the patients.

However, the ACDP does not and will not endorse recreational use of cannabis or any attempts to move in this direction.

What is controversial and unlikely to be entertained by our ACDP constituency and the broader South African Society is the goal of 'commercialization of Cannabis.”

This proposed legislation will be subjected first to Public and scientific scrutiny and input through Public submissions and hearings.

“The ACDP commends the committee on its considered approach to this Bill and the recognition that it is contentious”, Dudley added.

The ACDP will report further on this matter once the public process begins and gains momentum in development.

ACDP will support motion of no-confidence in National Assembly Speaker

ACDP Member of Parliament and Chief Whip, Cheryllyn Dudley, said today that:

“On careful consideration of the matter of a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly Speaker, Baleka Mbete, the ACDP Caucas at Parliament has decided to support the motion.

We would like to make it clear that we disassociate ourselves with attacks on Speaker Baleka Mbete’s person and integrity, and from the antics of opposition parties like the EFF and the DA who have done everything possible to make the National Assembly ungovernable in the past few weeks.

We do, however, acknowledge that Parliament has been chaotic and the Speaker has lost the necessary authority to bring order in the House. In our opinion this is due to the fact that the Speaker has undermined her own rulings on more than one occasion and has entered into debate with Members to the detriment of proceedings in the House.

It is imperative that a Speaker in the National Assembly is both firm and fair but most importantly, has the courage of their convictions to follow through on rulings made. Where challenges to those rulings arise these should be speedily addressed and corrected if necessary or suitable consequences to the flouting of rules must follow.

On the issue of whether or not it is advisable for the Speaker in the National Assembly to hold a high party office – because of inevitable conflicts of interest that may arise - the ACDP would like the Parliament of RSA to adopt the position that a Speaker in the National Assembly does not hold a senior party position.”