A memorandum that was signed at the end of a 1 000-strong pro-life march in Phoenix, Durban on Sunday, will be presented to key Government leaders.
The memorandum, which says that a staggering 1 567 legal abortions were performed daily in South Africa in 2011, was signed by African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) Councillor, Dr Jonathan Naidoo, Danie Bosman, President of Christians for Truth (CFT), Rev Dumisane Zondi of ‘Radio Khwezi’ and Pastor Aaron Munsamy, President of City Connect. Naidoo said he will present the document to ACDP President Dr Kenneth Meshoe, who will take it to ANC leaders.
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Personhood status
The memorandum calls for pre-born babies to be granted personhood status according them the inalienable right-to-life from conception.
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Excerpts from the memorandum include:
- Statistics
The total number of abortions for 2011 in South Africa was nearly 572 000. This means there were 1 567 abortions per day. - Life begins at conception
Modern science has concluded that human life begins at conception. - Personhood
In the South African Constitution only “persons” are recognised as having legal standing. In our law, the term “person” should be constitutionally defined to include all classes of human life, regardless of disability and dependency, including particularly the pre-born person. All innocent life should be protected. Personhood is the recognition by our culture and our government that each individual life has an “inalienable” right to life from conception. This right of life comes from God not the government. - The Law
There are two sources of law: ‘Divine Law’ and ‘Natural Law’. All human life bears the image of God and therefore has immense value and worth. All authority comes from God, and He has given authority to governments to defend the innocent, the weak and the helpless. If natural law conflicts with divine law, it is violence. Consequently, legalised abortion is violence and cannot be accepted as an acceptable law. Natural law has an unbroken history of failure and cannot protect and respect human life and dignity. TOP (abortion) law is derived only from natural law. Legalised abortion is violence and often leads to genocide and holocaust.
The atmosphere at the march was jubilant and marchers expressed a view that the event signals the beginning of a change in South Africa.
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The procession was led by a number of police vehicles, followed by ‘S.W.A.T. – KZN VIP Protection’, people on foot, vehicles and buses, plus a ‘music truck’ from ‘Miletus Full Gospel Church’ and an ‘Impilo on Wheels’ truck, both of which opened up with a platform for live worship teams.
Supportive bystanders
Among the groups that supported the march were ‘Mothers against Drug Abuse’ and a group of Christian and Hindu widows from an old age home in Phoenix. Bystanders along the route, including Christians, Muslims and Hindus, all told me they were against abortion and were totally unaware that there were about 1 500 abortions happening per day in South Africa. Some even joined the march.
Among the marchers was George Murray, a ‘government representative’, who said that “although he is not a member of the ruling party, he is present to listen and raise the issues of the people”. The unanimous message from the people was: “Because it is legal it doesn’t make it right! We are saying enough is enough.”
After the march various people shared testimonies of how abortion had affected their lives. The testimonies included:
- Erwin Andrews, 27, came onto the stage with Pastor Vindo Singh of International Christian Fellowship Centre in Phoenix who testified on his behalf. The doctor wanted Erwin to be aborted at three months because his pregnant mother had contacted Rubella (German Measles). She refused to abort, and Erwin was given life! Even though he is deaf and cannot speak he has phenomenal computer skills and is happy to be alive.
- Rebecca was saved from abortion, when 5 years ago, Pastor Morgan told her mother not to consider the abortion she was contemplating, but that as an alternative he would take the baby and raise it as his own.
- With Rebecca on the platform was a boy in grade 10 who had likewise been saved from abortion when his mother told Pastor Aaron Munsamy that she wanted to abort her baby. He was given a chance at life in the home of Pastor Aaron.
- Roxanne Greyling had had an abortion 12 years ago as an unbeliever and has suffered the consequences. But she has now made a commitment to Jesus Christ and is pro-life. She says that, “We must be as needles pricking the consciences of people who either do, or choose to have abortions”.
Undemocratic law
In an interview after the march, Bosman said that the passing of the Termination of Pregnancy Act (abortion act) on February 1, 1997 was not democratic as 98% of submissions were against the legalisation of abortion. He said the law needs to be reversed”.
He said that in South Africa if we refuse to acknowledge God as the originator of the basic human right to life we run the risk of incurring His judgment as a nation.
“The blood of babies is crying out!” he said.
He referred to Genesis 4:8-12, when God says to Cain, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. So now you are cursed from the earth … when you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.” “Does this not sound like South Africa with all it’s crime and poverty?” he asked.
Retribution
Citing Genesis 9:5,6 (“Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.” ) he said wilful violation of another’s life calls for retribution by fellow men – God’s agents. Man is God’s unique, spiritual, immortal, intelligent creation; thus God commands, “you shall not murder”. To take a human life is to assault the image of God in man. The word, “require” in Genesis 9:5 indicates that God was doing more than simply stating a rule. He was saying that He will actually “pursue” (Hebrew = darash) or “seek” a man’s life in payment for the innocent life he has taken.
Bosman said that in contrast to South Africa, Namibia and Zambia do not allow abortions on request – and they are nations that are being blessed.
God’s heart is broken as many of us by this lae of man. Well done and I am proud of the ACDP and believe they have a gigantic role still to play in SA political future.
satan does not mind the people going to church, he minds the church going to the people.
Let us the ‘church wise’ and blessed get out of our comfort and snug buildings each Sunday and do and have church where it matters, in the townships and the ganglands – THEN we will see transformtation in SA.
We can pray all we like, but faith without works is dead.