To CHAIRPERSON of the ACDP NATIONAL Jo-Ann Downs

Dear Jo-Ann
 
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Thank you to the ACDP MPs and city councilors making a stand for life and family in Parliament and Cape Town.
 
We are busy updating our Voters Guide for the 2019 elections.
 
According to the ACDP’s previous “issues” section on your website, you stated that: “The ACDP recognises the need for affirmative action to address persistent inequalities that are racially based. However, we believe that there should be a sunset clause and the policy should be phased out once equality has been objectively achieved.” www.acdp.org.za/issues/

This was why we give the ACDP a “No” on our 2019 Voters Guide in respect to “Opposes Discrimination Based on Race (Affirmative Action)”.
 
Does the ACDP plan to revise your stance on supporting Affirmative Action for the 2019 elections?
 
We want to present an accurate reflection of each party’s stance on this and the other issues listed on the Voters Guide.
 
I gave the following response to Jeanette Gouws who queried why we have changed the ACDP’s stance on Affirmative Action to “no” on the Voters Guide.
 
I was sent the following by Audra Bouwer, on behalf of Kenneth Meshoe:
11. ACDP Policy on Trade and Industry
Affirmative Action
We as a party acknowledge the need for repentance from all the generations that gained and are still gaining, even indirectly, from the race-based apartheid system.We also acknowledge the need for forgiveness from those who suffered under it and continue to suffer because of it. However, Affirmative Action, as it is being applied currently, is undeniably racist in its foundation. It has in its application been approached incorrectly and created further institutionalised inequality.
The ACDP would change the focus of Affirmative Action from previously disadvantaged to disadvantaged individuals. Because of the historic and current racial and socio-economic nature of poverty, the real focus of an Affirmative Action policy, based on disadvantaged, would not change dramatically from one that is race-based. However, this change in focus, away from the current racially discriminatory nature of Affirmative Action, will make it a social welfare issue.
Fair and adequate restitution, addressing the multi-generational wrongs of the apartheid system, is a very complicated and emotive issue that can be divided into the two broad categories of Social Restitution and Financial Restitution.
The ACDP recommends a change in the application of this newly focused model of Affirmative Action, to one that facilitates personal empowerment of the currently disadvantaged, thereby helping them to compete equally in the market place.”
 
My reply to Jeanette Gouws, who also objected to this negative rating given on the Voters Guide:
 
The problem with having Affirmative Action for the “currently disadvantaged” or based on personal economic status, is that the demographics of our country would still, by default, discriminate on the basis of race. There will (almost) always be lots more poorer black people applying for a job than coloured, indian or white. Also, I’m sure many employers would have a “mental block” against seeing some white people who are genuinely needy as being poor and therefore would discriminate against them, even if they had the best qualifications for the job offered.
 
Corruption, inflation and excessive taxation has impoverished most people in this country. One cannot justify racial quotas and double standards. Affirmative Action also undermines the economy and steals from everyone.
 
The ACDP also seems to have an unbiblical understanding of restitution.
 
The real need for restitution is from this government, for corruption, which has stolen trillions of Rands from the country.
 
Biblical restitution is always personal, from a convicted criminal to the victim(s) of that crime. It is not from one people group to another. Restitution is not meant to be a political scam taking from those who did not do any crime and giving to those who were not the victim (bear in mind also that those entering the work force today were not even born during apartheid!)
 
“One law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who dwells with you.” Numbers 15:16
 
Sincerely,
Taryn Lourens