Young PE evangelist, Jason-Lee Vermaak, 12 developed a passion for sharing the Gospel with children after attending Hope for Kids evangelistm training.

Port Elizabeth scholar, Jason-Lee Vermaak, 12, has shared the Gospel of Jesus with 170 people to date. The passionate  Grade 7 student at Verkenner Primary School learnt about God and how to share the Good News during a Hope for Kids programme which was run at his school last year.

“My classmates weren’t interested, but I saw a way I could tell people about God,” he explained. “I knew there were people out there that are going through troubled times and I thought that if I tell them about God, they won’t suffer so much.”

Adults in PE will have an opportunity to attend Hope for Kids workshops in the city from February 14 to 18 to learn how to teach the programme that inspired Jason to share the Good news with his peers.

According to mom Chantell, Jason-Lee loves sharing the Gospel and will grab any opportunity to tell people about Jesus.

“When he did Hope for Kids he was very excited and wanted to go to houses and do Bible study,” she explained. When she told him that most people are busy during the week, he took the “Pathway for Hope” booklets, which were supplied to him upon completion of the Hope for Kids programme, and started handing them out in his neighbourhood after school.

“Doing this made him very happy and I could see how he shined day by day,” she said.

Jason-Lee handed out 170 “Pathway for Hope” booklets and told each person about God’s salvation story. The young evangelist has been asked to share his testimony at his local church where he told them about his journey and the goodness of God.

“I believe that people should know about Hope for Kids,” he explained, “When you tell kids about God they will tell their friends, and the more people that know about God, the better the world will become.”

Hope for Kids is a division of Evangelism Explosion South Africa, that equips teachers and children’s and youth ministry leaders to teach children how to share Jesus with others. The ministry firmly believes that children are a vibrant part of the church and need to know the Gospel well enough to have it influence their own lives, as well as the lives of those they encounter. The Hope for Kids programme can be facilitated in English, Afrikaans and Xhosa. Headmasters are encouraged to be a part of this move of God by hosting workshops and asking teachers and children’s ministry leaders to attend.

South African intercessory networks are joining forces to ensure that the 2014 elections are soaked in intensive, strategic prayer and fasting throughout the country.

On Friday, February 7, the Institute for Christian Leadership Development (ICLD), Jericho Walls (JW) and SA Prayer Movement for Change (SAPMG) held a consultation in Pretoria where they set in place an overall strategy of 40 days of fasting and prayer from March 1 to April 9, encouraging Christians all over the nation to join in at the level they can, said Pastor Laurette Mkati of SAPMG yesterday.

The national, strategic approach to prayer is necessary to counter strong witchcraft influences that manipulate the minds of voters, she told Gateway News recently. The SAPMG says that fasting and prayer in as vital now as it was in 1994 when concerted Christian prayer was answered with a miraculous transition to democracy.

Election prayer resources developed by the combined intercessory networks will be avaialble shortly. JW is collating the SAPMC Prayer Strategy, ICLD Prayer Guide, Jericho Walls Prayer Guide and a 2014 General Elections Conversation Guide prepared in a booklet (and also to be available oline) by Segun Olanipekun of ICLD. The Conversation Guide is designed to get people talking and includes 10 questions for discussion. Some of the questions are: ‘Why do we get bad leaders when we all desire good leaders?; Can one person/one vote make a difference?; How can I own the results of the 2014 Elections?’.

SAPMC is also undertaking prophetic prayer journeys throughout SA. Anyone wishing to participate in any location should contact Laurette Mkati (intercessors.ec@sainet.co.za Cell: 0847531538) for the Southern Team and Linda Gobodo (lindagobod@yahoo.com Cell: 0825164690) for the Northern Team. The schedule is.

SOUTHERN GROUP

Eastern Cape/Western Cape/KwaZulu-Natal

24th February – Mthatha

25th February – Mt Frere, Kokstad

26th February – Port Shepstone

27th February – Durban

28th February – Pietermaritzburg/Durban

3rd March – Port Elizabeth

4th March – George

5th March – Somerset West

6th March – Cape Town

NORTHERN GROUP

Free State

24th February – Vrede, Cornelia, Frankfort

25th February – Tweeling, Reids, Bethlehem, Fourisberg, Versierskeef

26th February – Ficksberg, Ladybrand, Bloemfontein

27th February – Welkom

Gauteng

8th February – Soweto

22nd February – Mid Rand

24th February – East Rand

5th March – Pretoria

North West

25th February – Rustenberg

26th February – Mafikeng

Mpumalanga

27th February – Witbank

28th February – Nelspruit

Limpopo

1st March – Polokwane

2nd March – Lebowa

Rev Kenneth Meshoe, ACDP President (PHOTO: Screenshot from Watchman on the Wall interview – View interview on Youtube at bottom of page)

It is time for South African Christians to bring God into the equation in their voting, said African Christian Democratic Party President (ACDP), Rev Kenneth Meshoe in an interview screened on Watchman On The Wall on TBN last week.

Interviewed by Family Policy Institute Director, Errol Naidoo, following his recent return to Parliament after a five months absence, Meshoe called on Christians to change their thinking from wanting a strong opposition to wanting a righteous government.

Asked about the loss of some Christian voters from the party in the last election, he said the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) “Stop Zuma” campaign slogan in 2009 caught the hearts of many people who were upset with the what was happening in the country. But Zuma became president and things have got worse.

He said it is not enough to stop Zuma, because if the DA replaced the ANC it would just be substituting one liberal party for another liberal party.

“The issue of loose morals in the country that is even causing children to rape children would continue. There has to be a change. There has to be a strong, moral foundation in the country. And this strong, moral foundation cannot be built by unbelievers or by secularists. This strong, moral foundation has to be built by people who believe that righteousness must be the foundation of South Africa,” he said.

He said the ACDP has for 20 years been uncompromising in its stand for Biblical values and principles “because we believe it is the principles of the Word of God that can make nations to be successful”.

Commenting on the party’s participation in the Collective for Democracy ( together with Cope, Freedom Front Plus, IFP and UCDP)  he said it is necessary for parties to work together to advance democracy. The ACDP would not, however, enter into a coalition or any agreement that required it to compromise on its Biblical values.

Meshoe predicted that there will be a number of surprises in the 2014 elections. He said many people are feeling disillusioned and “angry that they have been lied to for nearly 20 years”. Christians are saying they have previously not considered the Lord when going to the polls, he said He predicted that the ACDP, which dropped from a high of 7 parliamentary seats after the 2004 election to 3 seats after 2009, will benefit from the present climate. He said the party is going to campaign hard from door-to-door and in churches and aims to win at least 30 seats this year. 

With a stronger representation in parliament the ACDP would ensure it was represented on all committees in order to influence all legislation. It would also campaign for a constitutional amendment to protect the rights of the unborn. And it would work to improve SA’s relations with Israel, recognising the Biblical promise (Genesis 12:3) that nations that curse Israel will be cursed and nations that bless her will be blessed.

Asked about growing threats to religious freedom under the present government, Meshoe said in the lead up to the elections on May 7, the ACDP will tell church congregations about how some churces are already being persecuted for teaching scripture. He would warn them that the persecution will continue if they continued to vote for secular political parties.

Meshoe said he visited cities in the United States and Canada during his parliamentary break in order to raise funds for the elections.

Team building fun at RealStart camp.

I recently spent a few days in George as an observer at a camp that happens once a year at the start of a year-long youth development programme. I came away from the camp bubbling with excitement for the future if we have brilliant programmes like this one for the disadvantaged of our country. 

While I was at the camp I had a chat with Jonathan Stanton-Humphreys the CEO and Founder of the Christian NPO  called RealStart (enabledyouth.changed nation) that runs the programme. Stanton-Humphreys has been involved in youth ministry for many years. He had found camp based ministry to be very short term, and he was more interested in long term impact and the journey that this involved. He has four major passions that play out in the RealStart programme; these being holistic discipleship, transforming South Africa (as in making a difference), getting the church out of the church (getting people involved in society and not just warming the pews) and reconciliation.

He has seen how the impoverished are often overlooked, even in our post apartheid country. Many are stuck and going nowhere and thatʼs where RealStart comes in to make a difference. They look for those who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) and give them the opportunity of turning their lives around through this year-long programme.

Hand up, not handout
The stats you hear about our matric pass rates are not entirely truthful, as we have about a 64% drop out rate from the time they enter Grade 1. Our pass rates of 30% for some subjects does not help the situation as many go on to university and do not cope and then they drop out at that level and then sit at home. Many of our matrics are unemployable, especially the impoverished. Many do not have the networks that they need, and RealStart provides a tailor made solution for these people who need a hand up and not a handout.

RealStart has been developed from the ground up. They review all aspects once a year in an open and honest manner so that they can improve wherever they need to. They look to learn from any failures. They always look to be holistic in all areas, make sure that career enablement takes place and provide opportunity for community outreach for the learners.

The first six months of the programme focuses on holistic development (spiritual, mental, emotional and physical) along with opportunity for creative expression, community outreach twice a week, team building and fun physical exercises. The last six months of the programme is all about career enablement. The students are challenged on a continual basis to better themselves through delivering speeches often and life challenges that they need to complete and report back on. They also speak about critical engagement which means to think, look and be an active part of life, to problem solve and ask ʻwhat did I learn from that?ʼ At their first speech of the year which took place on the camp, there were many nerves and tears. A statement made by Stanton-Humphreys was “ There is no room for going back, itʼs your turn and you need to speak. You will discover the courage in you when you know thereʼs no way out!”

A quieter moment at the camp.

RealStart started up in 2011 and at this point has a 90% success rate based on the following two deliverables – Have they used the best possible means to impact the lives of the learners ie. have they changed as people and have they provided a well suited next vocational step for them to take. They of course cannot guarantee that the next step will be taken, as this is entirely the choice of the student, but if they have changed as people, the chances of them making good and wholesome choices for their futures are so much greater.

The mission of RealStart is to passionately care about the future of disadvantaged school leavers and use the best possible means to change their lives, set their vocational course and enable them to become positive role-models and change agents within South Africa.

Love God and Love others
RealStart is very satisfied in hearing from past students that their ethos of ʻLove God and Love othersʼ is achieved in the fact that all students will strongly report that their relationship with God grew and developed during the year.

Costs of about R1 800 per student per month are covered by donations and fundraising. The students are being trained at a tertiary education level and many of them also require transport costs to be covered in order to be at the programme every day from Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 4.30pm. Transport costs can run into a few hundred rand each month per student.  The overall cost would be reduced with more branches opening up. There are a total of nine staff on board at the moment. Some are paid a small salary and raise their own additional support and some raise all their support. 74% of money raised goes towards the programme and 24% towards admin costs. They would always welcome new supporters to this very worthy and necessary cause. Finances are handled with the utmost integrity and honesty, with total transparency to the public.

At the moment there are two branches of RealStart – George and Wilderness. Stanton-Humphreys has great hope for the future that there will one day be hundreds of RealStart branches all over the country. The positives of this programme are more than just for the learners; it provides awesome opportunities for those who become involved, namely, the wealthy mixing with the poor, opportunity to support financially to a great venture, reconciliation, mentoring, building into the local church and providing opportunity for the local church to reach out, enabling young impoverished people, opportunity to meet the Lord, creating lives of meaning and success. More information and stories of those who have successfully completed the programme and are now back in education,
employment or training can be count on their website www.realstart.org or by emailing info@realstart.org.

Hennie Muller (PHOTO: The Witness)

By Marisa Fockema (The Witness) — Originally published in Sport24

Hennie Muller, 59, from Tierpoort near Bloemfontein knows he could easily have drowned in this year’s Midmar Mile, just like Thabo van Straten.

But unlike Van Straten, whose body was found five days after the race on Thursday, about 800m from the start, Muller survived to tell his story. His wife, Marita, 58, said it is a “Midmar miracle”.

According to the Witness website, Muller was 30m from the finish line, swimming in his sixth Midmar Mile, when an artery burst in his heart. He finished the race, although he cannot remember anything of that last 30m.

He said he recalled walking over the finish line, but not receiving the medal or hanging it around his neck. He then moved to the exit where the crowds waited.

“There I lost consciousness.”

About three minutes after the artery had burst, he suffered a heart attack and his heart stopped beating for 20 minutes.

“If that artery had burst 60 to 90 seconds earlier, I could have been part of the drowning statistics. It [swimming] is not like running or cycling – you just disappear under the dark water.”

Fortunately for Muller, a medical doctor and sister were next to him when he collapsed. Paramedics joined them to apply first aid, after which they loaded Muller into an ambulance.

Muller said the ambulance had hardly passed through Midmar’s gates when he awoke.

“I could talk, remember my name, count numbers and also told them where my family was.”

He was stabilised at Howick Hospital and then treated for four nights at St Anne’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg.

Hans Hartman, a paramedic on the scene, who had also assisted Angus Buchan after the evangelist had a heart attack on his farm during a Mighty Men event, said Muller’s case was unique in his 30 years as a paramedic. He said in such cases, patients first go into a coma, after which they normally suffer brain damage.

Muller, who has three children and 10 grandchildren, said his experience shows that God has a purpose with his life.

“He [God] lets miracles happen.”

Two views of the beautiful new 24 hour prayer room at the House of Bread, Bloemfontein.

Bloemfontein’s unique restaurant-discipleship centre, House of Bread, has taken prayer to a new level with the addition of a designer prayer room where intercessors can pour out their hearts to God at any time of the day or night.

And according to hotelier Andre Venter, who established House of Bread in early 2012, God showed him from the outset that a 24-hour prayer room was part of His plan for the restaurant which has become a popular meeting place for the city’s Christians.

“I just did not know how or when it [the prayer room] would be realised,” he said.

But God was faithful and in September 2013, MLC Ministries in Pretoria heard about House of Bread and proposed to Venter that he should build a 24 hour prayer room with an area of at least 50 sq m, which they would pay for and fit out. After seeing the proposed design of the prayer room and photos of MLC’s own 24/7 prayer room in Pretoria, he started the building project immediately. The House of Bread prayer room was completed by November 2013.

The new prayer room has been added on upstairs and has its own private stairway that leads through a small grove of trees. The room has 24 hour air conditioning and soaking worship music. It is divided into 12 different sections where intercessors are provided with guidance on various prayer topics such as Israel, praise and worship, the Word, nations, strongholds, government, forgiveness, family, your city and the throne room.

The vision of the prayer room is to bring unity in the Body of Christ through prayer across denominational and racial divides. Individuals or groups of people can make an appointment to pray in the room for an hour shift by calling the restaurant at 051 444 0190 or Frans at 073 797 5251. Currently the room is in use for an average of 10 to 16 hours a day. There is a group of black students from the University of Free State who faithfully pray there daily from 5am to 6am. The prayer room has also been used by people praying for Bloemfontein teacher Pierre Korkie who is being held hostage by Al-Qaeda kidnappers in Yemen. Korkie’s wife Yolande is among the prayers. Visitors to Bloemfontein have also been booking prayer slots in the room.

Michelle Campbell (PHOTO: Facebook).

An attempted rape on the Port Elizabeth beachfront was dramatically averted early on Sunday morning when the victim began to pray out aloud that she was protected by the blood of Jesus.

 Recounting the incident, well-known PE public relations practitioner and entepreneur, Michelle Campbell said a calm came over her as she felt God’s presence and guidance from the moment that she started to pray.

Her ordeal began when she and a friend, John Lovemore, were confronted by two armed men as they were taking a stroll on King’s Beach early on Sunday morning. The men demanded cell phones and money after stabbing Lovemore in the arm and hitting him on the head and neck.

 “When we told them everything was in the car, they asked for the keys and at that point, we made a conscious decision to just cooperate,” Campbell said.

Campbell, who is the owner of Michelle Campbell Publicity, said that while one man left to ransack the car, the other grabbed her from behind, pushed her and told her he was going to rape her.

Calmness
“He started to undo his zip… He told me that if I screamed or resisted, he was going to slit my throat with his knife. Then he said that he can run faster than me.” At that point Campbell started praying aloud and said that she could immediately feel calmness wash over her as God began to guide her and show her exactly what to do.

“I said ‘I am protected by the blood of Jesus’ (out loud) over and over, a few times. He immediately stopped, got off me and we both stood up and faced each other. I put my hands on his chest and told him ‘In Jesus name, you don’t want to hurt me.”

Campbell said she remembers feeling God’s presence and a sense of surety that everything was going to be okay, as the prayer diffused the situation.

“I recall seeing fear in his [the attacker’s] eyes and knew that he too was just a victim of circumstance.”

Campbell said that she felt pity for the attacker and introduced herself and Lovemore to him, in an attempt to humanise them to the attackers. She also asked him his name, but he did not reveal it, apparently out of fear.

“His face just crumpled and he started to apologise, telling me that he was actually a good person. I told him that I believed him; that I forgave him and God forgave him too.” The attacker showed remorse and Campbell reassured him that everything was going to be okay. After a while the other man came back, handed them the car keys, and they left.

Campbell said that she had always believed in God but about seven or eight years ago she began a one-on-one relationship with Him. The relationship has continued to grow from strength to strength.

She believes that the Lord turned the attack on her and Lovemore around for His glory, and wants her to tell her story to as many people as possible. The night before her first media interview she woke up with voices in the room and a sensation of being choked. She knew that the enemy was trying to silence her and that gave her the resolve to spread the story as far as she could.

“The Lord once again showed me that He will always be there for us. God told me that He would bless me for giving my testimony and boy has He done that!”

 Campbell said she has received an overwhelming response both locally and internationally, as people have responded to her story, sharing that their faith had been renewed. She has made a promise to God to use her prominent role in society to give Him glory. 

Mvumeleni Jezile in the Wynberg Regional Court.(PHOTO: Ayanda Ndamane – The Argus).

Originally published in ioL News
with additional reporting by Gateway News

A14-year-old girl found herself in “modern-day slavery”, in the words of a Wynberg magistrate, when she was sold for R8 000 and forced to marry a man who held her captive and beat her for sex.

Last Thursday (February 13), Wynberg Regional Court Magistrate Daleen Greyvensteyn sentenced Mvumeleni Jezile to an effective 22 years in jail for three counts of rape, human trafficking and assault. Subsequently she granted Jezile leave to appeal the conviction and sentence. He was remanded in custody.

Greyvensteyn said the situation had been terrifying for the Eastern Cape teenager, who had just finished Grade 7. She went to a nearby shop on behalf of an elder and the next moment she was sold to marry a man she didn’t know.

The girl was taken from her home in Ngcobo and forced to go through a customary marriage to Jezile, 32, on February 2010. She escaped and ran back home. But her uncle and grandmother, who participated in the negotiations for Jezile’s bride, took her back to him.

Soon afterwards, the girl was put on a taxi bound for Cape Town. The girl lived with Jezile at his home in Brown’s Farm, Philippi, and was raped several times and beaten with a broomstick, whip and belt. She escaped again and fled to the police.

She is back with her mother in the Eastern Cape.

The case is the Western Cape’s first case of ukuthwala: the traditional practice of kidnapping a young woman in an attempt to force marriage negotiations. 

Greyvensteyn said the girl was degraded and forced into a life of servitude. As a makoti “young bride” she was expected to cook and clean for her husband. “(But) the complainant was resilient and strong-willed with dreams of finishing school and marrying for love.”

“It’s intolerable that very serious crimes such as trafficking, rape and assault are committed under the guise of culture, tradition and religion. Both parties to any marriage must consent thereto. Hiding behind now defunct customs to satisfy one’s own needs must be discouraged.”

The court found substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment for raping a child.

Greyvensteyn imposed a lesser sentence than life after considering Jezile’s upbringing, level of education – he completed Grade 8 – his traditional beliefs, and the cumulative effect of the minimum sentences for each charge.

But his lack of remorse and the fact that he continued to rape the girl, despite a large wound on her leg, were aggravating factors.

“Jezile has never shown remorse. He persisted throughout that he was innocent, and blamed custom, the church and tradition. He had little insight into the pain and anguish that the complainant endured; instead he called her disobedient and cheeky,” Greyvensteyn said.

The victim impact report states that the girl suffered from insomnia and when she fell asleep was haunted by nightmares.

Christian anti-human trafficking activists have welcomed Jezile’s conviction.

Ukuthwala, commonly known as “forced marriage”, is an ancient Xhosa custom. The word means “carrying away”.

Professor Jan Bekker of the University of Pretoria said the custom had changed from its original function as an initiation to marriage by two young people in love.

“Nowadays, it’s middle-aged men who are accosting young high school girls, and because of the different backgrounds, parents take the lobola money they are given.”

Bekker urged the government to intervene because child trafficking and abduction were being sugar-coated as ukuthwala.

“The government and police need to take action now because issues of abduction and rape occur in these cases.”

Marcel van der Watt, a member of the Gauteng Rapid Response Task Team for Trafficking,, throws more light on the modern practice of ukuthwala  in his monthly column published in Gateway News today.

An investigation carried out by the Commission on Gender Equality has found that most of the ukuthwala marriages have occurred in the Eastern Cape and in KwaZulu-Natal.

The commission’s Taryn Powys said: “Today, young girls aged 13 or 14, and sometimes as young as nine, are being kidnapped on their way to school to be married to men who are in their 40s or 50s and polygamists.”

When the girls’ families objected, they were offered “damages” in the form of money, cows and blankets, Powys said.

“Many of them are poor, so they accept.”

Although the custom might be traditionally acceptable, it violated the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act of 1998, which said the two people to be wed must be more than 18 years old, and the agreement had to be consensual.

“We are concerned that the abduction of girls by men, as well as the associated instances of sexual assault, underage lobola and pregnancy, constitute a direct violation of girls’ constitutional rights,” Powys said. – Additional reporting by Zodidi Dano

Dr Ross Harker

A Port Elizabeth attorney, Dr Ross Harker, is calling on churches throughout South Africa to join a church in Cape Town and a church in PE in ringing their bells at 12noon daily to rally Christians to pray for South Africa and the forthcoming elections.

“We need to mobilise to get God to bring about a miracle of the proportion that occurred in 1994 in this country when Nelson Mandela was elected as our State President,” said Harker.

He said it would be wonderful if other churches joined the two Anglican churches, St Margaret’s in Fish Hoek, Cape Town and St John’s in Walmer, PE, in the noontime bell ringing call to prayer.

Harker said his prayer burden began when his church cell group prayed “about the upcoming elections and the desperate state of crime etc. in the country”. He subsequently wrote a letter calling on recipients to assist in getting the country soaked in as much prayer as possible “to bombard Heaven with prayer calling on God for a Miracle in the elections in 2014 of enormous proportions that will bring about meaningful change in the country”. The letter was sent to his church cell leaders, to prayer networks, and to Anglican parishes throughout SA. It was also spread through social media.

“I have had very encouraging responses from different Anglican Parishes in different parts of the country,” he said.

Revd Canon Rodney Whiteman of St Margaret’s in Fish Hoek replied to Harker that his church felt a similar prayer burden and accordingly had begun to ring the church bell from Monday to Friday at 12 noon before praying for about 15 minutes for Africa and South Africa. His own church,St John’s, then agreed to ring their bell daily at noon to call people to pray for SA and the elections.

Harker can be contacted at the email address rossharker@telkomsa.net

Pastor Iban Vermeulen.

A Stellenbosch pastor who recently attended the Catch The Fire Conference in Toronto, Canada, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ‘Toronto Blessing’ outpouring of the Holy Spirit, says he came out of a 10 year spiritual drought there and received a mandate from God to “go and anoint My workers for the harvest”.

“Within the first week after returning home from Toronto the Holy Spirit started moving in our church and has not stopped moving,” says Iban Vermeulen, senior pastor of KCI Church, Stellenbosch in a testimony he sent to Gateway News.

He says that from September 1, to September 4, 2014, KCI will be hosting a Revival Conference and the International School of Leadership that will be presented by a Catch the Fire team from Canada.

Vermeulen says that God spoke to him in 2013 about attendiing the 20th Anniversary Catch the Fire Conference in Toronto in January, 2014. The conference speakers were John and Carol Arnott, Randy Clark, Bill and Beni Johnson, Heidi Baker, Che Ahn, Duncon Smith, Steve Long and Georgian Banov. They are all influential apostolic leaders who were touched, changed, restored, called, and commissioned during the outpouring in Toronto in 1994.

On his first night there he fell in the Spirit as Randy Clark prayed for him and God ministered powerfully, erasing bitterness and hurt and restoring life into his family relationships and ministry. He felt alive for the first time in 10 years.

On the second night he was hungry for a fresh touch from God and was directed by Him to go to the front when the worship started. To get a good spot in the front he had to wait there an hour before the worship started. When the worship began a child pushed in front of him and there was a lady in a wheelchair to his right. He felt a bit annoyed with the child for pushing in.

“But during worship they told us to turn and prophecy to someone. This child turns around and says: ‘Lord, take this man to the nations and use him to transform many nations with revival.’ The moment that child prophesied the Spirit of God came upon me. Then we were asked to pray for the fire of God upon someone next to us. So the lady in the wheelchair grabs my hand and when she grabbed it, the Fire of God fell on me like it has never fallen upon me.”

Vermeulen says the woman in the wheelchair prophesied that he would spread fire and take ground for God’s Kingdom.
“When I put my hands in the air I saw that my hands was touching heaven and oil was flowing down my hands up to my elbows and I stood there, as one ready to go having been equipped and commissioned. God told me: ‘Go and anoint my workers for the harvest. They will be used in this move of My Spirit.’ For the first time in my life it felt like God had given me a clear mandate to do for Him. Go and anoint the workers for the Harvest.”

He says: “During this amazing conference there were many more visions and encounters in the Holy Spirit. I was also told that: ‘A spring of living water is going to erupt in our church, KCI Stellenbosch. People will come and drink from this spring’.”

During the conference speakers spoke about a coming ‘second wave’ outpouring that will bring a double anointing and spiritual inheritance as there was a generation that carried and stewarded the first wave faithfully for 20 years. Heidi Baker and Randy Clark told the conference that the first wave was for the healing of the church, calling prodigal sons back home and restoring the Father’s heart of love in the church. The second wave will be a wave of glory and souls compelling the move of God out of the church into the streets.

Vermeulen says he is expectant to see the fruits of the second wave manifesting in South Africa.

Men

Deepening connection with family in heaven and on earth

Relationships define our lives, for we only exist in relationship to each other, the world around us and our Creator.

Those attending the fourth Karoo Mighty Men Conference (KMMC) will have the opportunity to deepen their relationships, starting with their relationship with the Lord God Almighty and extending to their relationships with family, friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ.

Jannie Moolman, event co-ordinator, says relationships are at the heart of KMMC.

He says attending the KMMC 2014, which is set to take place from 25^th April to 27^th April 2014 on the outskirts of Middelburg on Rusoord Farm, will allow for an enriching time with the Lord and fellow conference goers in a genuine time of fellowship where men will be able to focus on the relationships in their lives, make new friends, share testimonies, encourage one another, pray for one another, and receive teaching, guidance and counselling.

Moolman says family day on Sunday is another critical aspect of relationships at the conference, because the family is important to God.

God has a heart for the family
“The Lord God has a heart for the family. Relationships within the family, with His Son Jesus Christ at the centre, are critical, because they encourage the love of God to be extended from family to friends, neighbours and whomever the Lord places in our paths.”

Our relationship with God begins when God draws us to Him through Jesus who said: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him …” (John 6:44).

God’s word also encourages us with the promise: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).

Our relationship with God is intensely personal. When we accept Christ as our Savior, God gives us his Spirit to live within us and the intimacy of this relationship is reflected by the kingdom of God being within us (Luke 17:21).

The more time we spend with God, praying to Him, worshipping Him in spirit and in truth (John4:24), and reading His word, the more mature our relationship with Him will become.

Seeking to know the Lord God Almighty can only be successful if we sacrifice time to wait on Him; spend time in His presence worshipping Him; and sacrifice time meditating on His Word.

Angus Buchan advises: “Make time for the Lord each day and you will be graced by His presence, you will hear from Him, and receive knowledge of Him.”

The KMMC organisers invite South Africa’s men to “Draw near to God” and spend time in His presence learning of Him and waiting on Him in the stillness of the Karoo.

KMMC 2014 aims to change men’s lives, by God’s grace, through leading them to salvation in Lord Jesus Christ and reconciliation with God, which will allow them to return home renewed, to love their families and neighbours in ways they have never done before.

“We hope to lead people into a closer relationship with the Lord, which will impact on the quality of all their other relationships,” says Moolman.

For more information visit the KMMC website at www.karoommc.co.za or Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KarooMMC, or contact Ruthi at info@karoommc.co.za or cell no 079 947 3566./ 049 8423310

Hennie Muller in hospital on the day of his near drowning and heart attack.

Bloemfontein Christian marketplace leader, Hennie Muller, 59, who narrowly escaped drowning in this year’s Midmar Mile, and survived a heart attack after the swimming race, says the experience was his eighth near-death encounter.

Muller, who is the Free State coordinator of Unashamedly Ethical, says his life has been under great attack but God’s protection has been greater, confirming that He has a greater life purpose for him and his wife.

Hans Hartman, a veteran paramedic who attended to Muller during the Midmar drama says he is astounded by the chain of critically timed events that contributed to his survival and rapid recovery, after an artery burst in his heart when he was in the water 30m from the finish line, and he collapsed with a heart attack three minutes later. In an sms sent afterwards, Hartman says: “I have been doing this for 30 years, and have never performed CPR on a patient for 20 minutes, shocked him, and been speaking to him 20 min later. Always several days in a coma and some brain damage….he has been blessed with a second chance. Please tell him to make the most of it. Hans Hartman.” He too concludes that God has bigger plans for Muller. Hartman is not a stranger to divine intervention: he was in charge of medical services at the 2009 Mighty Men Conference when Angus Buchan had a heart attack after preaching, recovered miraculously, and preached again the next day.

Mark Basson, a paramedic who competed in the Midmar Mile swim, finishing four minutes after Muller, was one of the skilled medical people who was on the spot at exactly the right time to play a vital role in his resuscitation. He says “with great teamwork the truly impossible was achieved. I wish Hennie well with his second chance at life.”.

Close calls
In a written testimony, Muller says previous close calls on his life have involved a car accident, a microlight incident, a light aircraft accident, a fourwheeler accident, a motorcycle crash, a horse hoof that missed his brain by about an inch and a cobra strike that just scratched his skin.

He thanks his wife, Marieta and his friends and colleagues in a number of business and Christian organisations who were alerted via social media and prayed for him when he collapsed at the Midmar Dam.

“God allows miracles to happen, to strengthen believers’ faith in God and to bring non-believers closer to Him,” he says.

He says the Midmar experience has just made him more focused on a vision from God for him and his wife to travel around the world for seven to 10 years, sharing testimonies and collecting more testimonies for a book “on our living and wonderful creator God who gave His one and only son Jesus Christ so, we can live eternally, after our bodies cease to live”.

Writing about the day’s events, Muller says: “About 100 meters from [the] finish line, I decided to push hard to the end, feeling good. About 30 meters from [the] finish, I remember looking up, and then right there I lost temporary consciousness, while swimming. According to medical feedback, this is where my LAN vein in [my] heart would have ruptured due to over exertion. That caused less blood and oxygen to [my] brain.

Hennie Muller (right) exiting the race finish area moments before his heart attack.

“With zero recollection I completed the swim, lost some skin on [my] left leg when I apparently swam into [a] concrete boat ramp, where the finish was. I stood up and walked like a zombie through [the] finish line, with [my]best time yet of just 1 second short of 44 minutes. I remember some flashes, when being directed into the most left lane to hand in my name tag, not remembering collecting my medal and hanging it around my neck. Then some more blank moments until I remember collecting two Quelle cooldrinks and just after walking into the spectators’ area, I lost all consciousness. This is where my heart stopped.

“According to my calculations, the 30 meter swim took about 90 seconds and the walk of about 75 meters would have taken about another 90 seconds. That gives approx. 3 minutes from vein rapture to heart failure.

Nearly another drowning statistic
“This is the danger in swimming, if my vein busted about 60-90 seconds earlier, I would have been another drowning statistic. It is not like running or cycling; you simply disappear out of sight into murky waters, not seen by anyone.”

Continuing his account, Muller says in “perfect Kairos timing” a medical doctor and nurse were next to him when he collpased. They turned him into the right recovery position and then two highly qualified paramedics arrived and did perfect CPR.

Basson picks up on the unfolding drama after he completed his own swim and then saw the collapsed Muller.

“Without hesitation I jumped in and continued with CPR. I began issuing instructions to the event paramedics who had also arrived for them to attach the ECG leads and to establish an IV. I also asked if the appropriate drugs could be drawn up ready if needed.

“Our ‘team’ continued with CPR, our patient was now tuning a light shade of blue, not a good sign, minutes were ticking by as no oxygen was reaching his brain. The electrodes would not stick to the gentleman’s chest, and we needed to check if there was a heart rhythm. We tried to dry his chest but they still would not stick, I then called for a paddle reading to be done.

“The paddle check revealed a shockable heart rhythm; CPR was continued while special gel was applied to the paddles. Then the shock was delivered and we checked for a heartbeat and pulse. Amazingly we had managed to get a heartbeat and weak pulse back.

“We loaded the gentleman and I decided to stay with him to the hospital. En route to the hospital the gentleman stabilized more and opened his eyes, and then I asked him his name. He responded with Hennie Muller. I was truly amazed!

Absolutely amazing!
“Hennie was handed over to the hospital in a stable condition, awake and talking. In my 10 years in the EMS industry and having performed many, many resuscitations, never ever has a person responded or recovered so quickly post CPR, without any form of brain or heart damage. Absolutely amazing!”

Hartman who was providing medical services at the event says it was critical that when Basson began with CPR, he applied the latest American Heart Foundation.

“This new way of doing CPR is based on extensive research, and has proven to be the most effective way of doing CPR,” he says in a testimony he wrote for Muller.

Hartman’s testimony continues:”My medic then reported back over the radio ‘CPR IN PROGRESS’, words that you never want to hear over a radio at any event. I grabbed my heart monitor and Advanced Life Support jump bag, and ran to the exit point, through the crowds. I suppose I should apologise to them for shouting at them to move out the way!!!

“I arrived at the exit point at the same time as the ambulance, and managed to push a space open around the patient’s feet. The crowed parted a little, and created a circle around us, shielding the public at large by holding their towels together and creating a curtain for us to work behind. My first task was to check for a heart-beat, or any other cardiac activity. We do this by holding the shocking paddles against the patient’s chest, and taking a reading through the paddles.The ECG screen showed no activity at all, and I instructed them to carry on with CPR. I set up a drip, ready to attach to the IV needle ‎that my medic was battling to get up on your arm. We need this access point to administer the drugs that will assist in getting the heart started again. At the same time, oxygen was being pumped into you via a bag-valve-mask, that forces 100%oxygen into your lungs. The new protocols require 2 breaths every 2 minutes, compared to 1 after every 5 compressions. During a break in CPR to ventilate the lungs, I checked for heart activity again, which showed that we had Ventricular Fibrillation, a condition where the heard looks like a bowel of jelly, just wobbling, not beating. This is good, because it means there is electrical activity, just not coordinated. The crew carried on with CPR whilst I charged up the Defibrillator and applied gel to the paddles. I administered a single electrical shock, which resulted in everything coming to a complete stop on the heart, before a single heart beat happened. This was followed by another one about 10 seconds later. This was not sufficient to maintain life, and I turned to draw up drugs to increase the heartbeat. Again, before that could be administered, the pulse shot up to 120, with a palpable pulse. You were still not breathing at this stage, and I decided to insert a tube down your throat and into your trachea to enable us to administer oxygen easier. Before this could even be attempted, you started gagging on the airway, and I realised that you would not tolerate the tube. We loaded you onto a board (in preparation to start CPR again), and into our ambulance. The medic that had started CPR also climbed into the ambulance, and we rushed off to Medi-clinic Howick. By the time we reached the gates of Midmar dam, you started moaning and groaning, and within 5 minutes started talking to us. At Medi-clinic you were able to give us your name and telephone number, but no other details. You were still confused, and would ask the same questions again and again.

“A second ambulance from Pietermaritzburg arrived within 20 minutes, and left within 15 minutes to transfer you to St Anns hospital in Pietermaritzburg‎.

Everything just fell into place
“So, this is the story of how everything just fell into place at exactly the right place and time, to bring back a patient that 12 months ago would not have had a chance to live. I have been doing this job since 1983, and have lost count of the number of patients I have done CPR on. This is the first time ever that I have had a patient without a heartbeat for 20 minutes that comes back with no drugs being administered and TALKS TO ME within 15 minutes after being shocked. I believe that there is a bigger purpose in your life, and that you have not yet achieved what was planned for your life. You are blessed, and God has a bigger purpose for you. He will reveal what he wants from you, just ask.

“I have learnt a long time ago, not to ask why, because our plans and ideas are not God’s plans or ideas. His plans are all that count.

“Mr Muller, I trust that you believe that a miracle was at work here. ‎20 meters or 10 minutes earlier, and we would have been waiting for another body to surface. Without the team of medics and medical staff at your side at the time they arrived, you would have been dead. Without the medics ALL knowing the new CPR protocol, you would have been dead (or severely brain damaged).”

Picking up on his experience after he was admitted to hospital, Muller says:”After heart test, the rupture in a vein was found; a stent was placed in the vein. Intensive scans were done on the heart and brain. All tests, in my possession, showed NO PROBLEMS found.

“After 3 nights I left ICU ward, one more night’s sleep in high care ward, I stood up on Wednesday morning, the 12th of Feb 2013, had a good shower. After seeing a delighted, smiling Doctor Maharaj, he let me go home, not even 4 full days visiting them.

“I WANT TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH MY RESCUE ACTION SINCERELY FOR A NEW LIFE. Mostly all honour goes to God Almighty, for His grace with these miracles.

“The only side effects are that my back and chest remain sore, where the great CPR was done on. But my memory has surely improved, I can remember better now, than before.”

Richard Montez — creator of Madiba — The Musical.

The life of Nelson Mandela and the Gospel of Jesus Christ will be blended in an epic musical that will open in Cape Town on Freedom Day (April 27, 2014), said the creator of the show, Richard Montez.

While the two hour song and dance and drama production, Madiba — The Musical, will touch on some weighty and sensitive topics it is not a documentary but entertainment said the American Christian theatre company managing director who has directed more than 500 shows in 71 countries over the past 26 years.

During an interview with Gateway News this week Montez said he was asked to do a show on the story of Nelson Mandela last year by Pastors Neville and Wendy McDonald from Good Hope Christian Centre in Cape Town after he did an Easter production there. Mandela was still alive at the time.

“I prayed about it [the proposed Mandela production] and I really felt this was what the Lord wanted me to do,” he said.

His biggest struggle with taking on the production was that Mandela was not a Christian, as far as he was aware. However, the more he researched the life of Mandela, the more he discovered that he had a strong Christian upbringing which he believes helped to forge the man he later became. His mother was a devout Christian, he went to Methodist schools and even led Bible studies as a young man.

“I don’t believe he [Mandela] was a Christian but he used Biblical principles to help bring healing and reconciliation at a time when South Africa was on the brink of civil way,” said Montez.

He  said through its original script and songs and dance routines featuring 40 to 50 actors the production will deliver a message of forgiveness and reconciliation and the power of the cross.

“I think it is going to be a powerful message for all of South Africa,” he said.

A scene from a past stage production by Richard Montez.

The former Disneyland singer, dancer and choreographer and professional stage, film and television actor, established Cornerstone Theatre 26 years ago with a vision to bring quality productions and artistic training to churches throughout the world.

“And I have discovered that if you invite people to come to church many of them will never come. But what is so interesting is the very same people that say ‘no’ to church are the very same ones that say ‘yes’ to theatre. They love to go to a theatre to be entertained and they want some kind of moral values, but they just don’t want to be hit over the head with a bible. So I want to do something that will bring the Gospel to a lot of people that would not normally come to church and this is a great way to do it.”

Montez has been presenting shows in South Africa in association with local churches since 2002. He has done a wide variety of comedies, musicals and dramas in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban. He says all of his shows have something in common — they all point to Jesus Christ.

He says the Good Hope Christian Centre is still finalising a venue for the Mandela production but that people can find out details by keeping in touch with the church.

He hopes to take the show to other centres in SA and to other nations. He says Pastor Wendy McDonald said one of the reasons why they asked him, an American, to do the show was because they wanted it to be geared not only to South Africans but to a world audience.

View a video preview of Madiba — The Musical:

An artwork inspired by this year’s WWDP theme —  Streams in the Desert. 

Thousands of South African women are expected to join Christian women in 170 countries by participating in the Women’s World Day of Prayer on Friday, March 7.

Women from all the mainline churches, a number of independent churches, various schools and retirement centres, certain police stations and army units, and the Salvation Army, will observe the historic prayer day said Joa van Aarde, Secretary of the Women’s World Day of Prayer in SA.

She WWDP started in the USA in 1887 in response to concerns for immigrants and the aftermath of slavery and is held internationally on the first Friday of March. 2014 will be the 84th year that the day is observed in South Africa.

“It is difficult to determine whether it [the WWDP in SA] is growing, but we are definitely not experiencing a drop in participation. This year Radio Veritas, a Catholic radio station, is very involved and is organising a big prayer day in Berea, Johannesburg,” she said.

She said last year’s prayer day arranged by the Bojanala Women’s Association in Swartruggens was attended by about 2 000 women. This event has been broadcast live on Christian TV on a number of occasions, she said.

Each year the WWDP turns to a different country for a lesson that will challenge, inspire and encourage. This year, the women of Egypt have prepared a service with the theme Streams in the Desert t and women around the world will gather to learn more about the culture and heritage of Egypt — and to pray and act in solidarity with its people. 

Mighty Men Joburg committee members, from left, Kyle, Victor and Michael on the site of the MMC which runs from March 7 to March 9, 2014.

All men from the age of 12 upwards are invited to attend the first Mighty Men Conference in Johannesburg next weekend on a spacious campsite 15 minutes south of the city.

The theme of the MMC Joburg will be ‘Taking up the responsibility of being the Prophet, Priest and King of your Family and your Home,” says convenor, Victor Lemmer, who has been commissioned by Mighty Men founder Angus Buchan to pursue God’s plan for MMCs in Gauteng. A dynamic line-up of speakers — Danie Botha, Afrika Mhlophe, Francois du Toit and Franna Benade — will carry this message and Louis Brits, Benade and Arno van Wyk will lead worship.

MMC Joburg Speakers: (Top, from left) Afrika Mhlophe, Francois du Toit, (bottom, from left) Danie Botha, Franna Benade.

Buchan who is currently focusing on getting the MMC movement off the ground in other parts of the world has confirmed that he will not be attending MMC’s in South Africa this year. During 2014 he will attend two MMCs in the United States as well as MMCs in the United Kingdom, Brazil, Israel and Australia. He has made it clear that he believes it is God’s plan for the MMC movement in South Africa to be carried onward in different parts of the country by younger men he has charged with the task.

In a video message urging men to attend the Johannesburg Mighty Men Conference from Friday, March 7 to Sunday March 9, Buchan urges men to go without any preconceived idead and to “open your heart and let God speak into your life”.

MMC Joburg convenor Lemmer says: “We believe that all men are called to attend this conference. It doesn’t matter what race you are or which church you belong to. Non-church goers are most welcome. We also believe that even if you know God and follow Him, He might need you there to mentor the guy next to you, so please take up this calling.”

The MMC venue is Plot 121, Alewynspoort in the Eikenhof Area. Ticket for the weekend (camping or driving-in daily) cost R250 per person and can be purchased itickets or by calling 071 912 2554. Food tickets are also available at R150 for three meals. The meals menu can be viewed at www.mmcjoburg.co.za. Food and cool drinks will be sold throughout the weekend. T-shirts can be ordered by texting T-shirt and your email address to 071 912 2554.

Important times to remember are:
Camping sites open on Friday morning at 10:00
Friday Evening Session — 18:30 to 21:00
Saturday Morning Session — 08:30 to 11:00
Saturday Worship Session — 14:00 to 16:00
Saturday Evening Session — 18:30 to 21:00
Sunday Family Session — 10:00 to 12:00 (All loved ones welcome)

Other points to remember are that alcohol and open fires are not allowed. Men may bring their own food and gas braais. Other items to bring include a chair, a black plastic bag for personal rubbish and money for buying items from the vendor tent.

More info can be found on the website and the Facebook page.

‘FOR SA’ (Freedom of Religion South Africa), an organisation pioneered by Cape Town church leader Andrew Selley, this week succeeded in persuading Parliament to amend the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill, so as to exclude churches and public benefit organisations from the application of the Act.

 “This is a huge victory for freedom of religion, and ultimately for the Church in South Africa”, said Selley. ”Had the Bill not been amended, we would have undoubtedly seen a new persecution of Christians in South Africa as the church would have been muzzled from believing, teaching and practicing the teachings of Holy Scripture”. 

“We are pro women and pro the general intent of the Bill.  Our concern however was that the Bill in its original form severely threatened freedom of religion and freedom of religious expression,” he added.

Scriptures
Selley explained that had churches not been excluded from the Bill, the Bill would have effectively outlawed scriptures such as that the husband is the head of the home (Ephesians 5:23) and that Pastors who teach these scriptures could potentially have been found guilty of a criminal offence, punishable by a fine or five years’ imprisonment.

For other churches (including the Roman Catholic Church and many Protestant churches) who believe that governance of the Church is reserved for men (according to their interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:12), the Bill in its unamended form would have forced those churches to abandon their doctrine and to ensure that women make up at least 50% of their eldership (or governmental body) in the church.  Failure to comply could have also led to criminal conviction.

“Whether Christians hold to these specific beliefs or not, must not create dissension within us. The victory is that we have stopped government interfering in the sacred beliefs of religious communities, and have in this upheld freedom of belief/religion and freedom of speech,” added Selley.

Selley explained that had churches not been excluded from the application of the Bill, the Bill would have made the State rather than the Holy Bible, the highest authority on the roles of men and women in the church, and indirectly also in the home. This would have set a frightening precedent for legislation allowing the State to interfere in the autonomy of the church, and which autonomy has always been recognised as integral to the constitutional right to religious freedom.

ACDP
In a media statement by ACDP MP Cheryllyn Dudley, the ACDP welcomed the amendments to the Bill and said that the potential harm which could have resulted from this legislation is now significantly reduced. Dudley further congratulated FOR SA, JASA and Cause for Justice who called for the amendment of the Bill, so as to exclude churches and religious / charitable organisations, and who articulated concerns regarding the undermining of religious freedom as a constitutional right in South Africa.

The final Bill will be debated before the National Assembly on Tuesday, March 4.

Selley appealed to Christians in South Africa. “Thank God for this victory and continue to pray for our country. Spread the good news. If we work together in unity and with God on our side, we can make a difference.  We will have many more such battles this year, but praise God, we have won this one.”

FOR SA is a forum of different churches in South Africa and is currently in the process of being registered and established as a non-profit company. Recently, the forum was able to rally the signed support of Church leaders representing 12 million citizens on another issue relating to religious freedom.  The mandate of FOR SA, is to be a voice for freedom of religion and (religious) expression in South Africa, at national level. The organisation can be contacted at speakup.za@gmail.com

Cheryllyn Dudley, ACDP MP.

A meeting of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations took place in Parliament this week to discuss and ratify the anti-Israel “Cape Town Declaration”. The committee hosted The Parliamentary Solidarity Conference in support of the peoples of Palestine, Western Sahara and Cuba on February 6. But many pundits have speculated that there was an ulterior political motive behind what portfolio chairman Tisetso Magama described as “the first of its kind in Parliament”.

Its approval last month by the Democratic Alliance (DA) caused much consternation with journalists Gareth van Onselen of Business Day asking “ “Has the DA abandoned its position on Israel?” and Ant Katz of the Jewish Report asking “ Is the ACDP Israel’s only SA political ally?” Both were pertinent questions given the anti-Semitic nature of the declaration and the DA not registering so much as a “whisper of opposition” endorsing the final, entirely pro-Palestinian declaration. This siding with Palestine, without qualification, van Onselen wrote, suggests the DA has now officially abandoned any onus it placed on Palestine to act with responsibility for its actions. The DA has since denied this.

The atmosphere in the meeting was described by Vivienne Myburgh, a Christian Zionist who attended the Conference, as very tense. She and others posed some very relevant questions from the public gallery during a short period they were given for comment.

Myburgh, who is anti-BDS, (boycott, disinvestment and sanctions) pointed out that  Lebanon, Israel’s northern neighbour, legally bans Palestinians from owning property and working in most professions; that in Jordan, which she says is composed of 88 percent of Palestinians refugees, they do not enjoy the rights of citizens and that Kuwait expelled a quarter of a million Palestinians about which Yasser Arafat acknowledged that “what Kuwait did to us in 2005 is worse than what has been done by Israel” yet these states are not brought to censure.

ACDP MP Cheryllyn Dudley said yesterday (March 6)  that the ACDP did not support the Committee Recommendations on the Solidarity Conference – yet the Recommendations adopted were a vast improvement on those made by the conference itself. ”The adopted recommendations do not in fact add in any way to resolutions already adopted by Parliament – they do not make the situation better but they do not make it worse!” 

The ACDP did however propose amendments to the Recommendations proposed by the ANC, one of which was accepted, the others rejected. The proposal – with the one amendment describing the participation at the conference – was then opposed by the ACDP and the DA with the IFP abstaining.  The proposal then went to a vote with sevenANC members voting for the proposal, three opposition members voting against and the IFP abstaining. 

Dudley makes the note that Section (a) of the adopted recommendations refers to previous resolutions passed in the committee in Nov 2013 when the DA supported the resolutions along with the ANC and all others except the ACDP who objected. 

 It is important to note that it was these resolutions – supported by all parties except the ACDP – that provided the authority for the committee to hold a solidarity conference and effectively prevented members from challenging such an event.  

It is also worth noting that unlike the resolutions and suggestions made by the Solidarity Conference and expressed in the Cape Town Declaration – these recommendations are in line with previous resolutions and do not take the issue further or add anything new. 

These are the recommendations on Palestine that were adopted and will be tabled in Parliament next week along with a Report on the Solidarity Conference. 

PALESTINE 

(a)  Recall and reaffirm House Resolutions …………… and …………..

 (b)  Reaffirm our commitment to the creation of a sovereign independent and viable Palestinian State, existing side by side and in peace with the State of Israel,  within internally recognised borders based on those existing on 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its Capital. 

(c)  Commend the UN General assembly  for proclaiming 2014 as the International  Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People and support the decision to request the committee on the Exercise of Inalienable Rights to organise solidarity activities in cooperation with their UN governments, Parliaments, intergovernmental organisation and civil Society organisations throughout the world. 

(d)  Reiterate our support for a negotiated solution and express our hope and support for the current round of negotiations to deliver on the aspirations of the Palestine People. 

(e)  Continue to mobilise all sectors of the South African population behind the Palestinian cause. 

(f)   Support government’s decision to actively support Palestinian reconciliation and unity efforts. 

(g)    Continue to intensify solidarity efforts with the view of strengthening the Palestinian struggle against the illegal and brutal occupation. 

The (rejected) ACDP proposal was: 

(a) Reaffirm our commitment to the creation of a sovereign independent and viable Palestinian State, existing side by side and in peace with the State of Israel,  within internally recognised borders based on those existing on 4 June 1967; 

(b)  Notes the UN General assembly proclaimed 2014 the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People; 

(c)  Reiterate our support for a negotiated solution and express our hope and support for the current round of negotiations to deliver on the aspirations of the Palestinian People; 

(d) Support government’s decision to actively support Palestinian reconciliation and unity efforts; 

(e) Notes recommendations made during the Solidarity Conference; 

(f)  Notes that DIRCO is drafting a document on the role SA will play in the Reconstruction and Development of Palestine; 

(g) Commits to broad and inclusive Hearings on this document when submitted to Parliament.

 It should be noted that the Department of International Relations (DIRCO) had informed the conference that a draft document on the role South Africa will play in the reconstruction of Palestine will be released for public comment in the near future. 

The Report on the Solidarity Conference in support of Palestine, Western Sahara and Cuba held at parliament on Thursday, 6 February 2014 and the Committee Recommendations will be tabled in Parliament next week.  While a debate is unlikely to be scheduled, Dudley says the ACDP will call for a declaration of vote which will ensure that Parties – that want to say something – will get the opportunity to speak to the Report and Recommendations at that time. 

This is a sensitive issue for Christians, given that their Lord is King of the Jews and that Biblical curses are promised for those people and nations that curse the people of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. 

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies says it is in the process of following up the matter with government and the various political parties involved. They conveyed outrage over what they regarded as a flagrant abuse of the Parliamentary process; “We will be seeking clarity as to how it was allowed to come about and what implications, if any, it has for South Africa’s policy regarding the Middle East question and its relations with the State of Israel”. 

Ferlon Christians, ACDP leader in Western Cape.

Last week the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) had its Western Cape launch for the party for the upcoming elections on May 7th and released its list of candidates for election. 

The party’s premier candidate is Ferlon Christians, the ACDP Leader in the Western Cape, a man passionately concerned with the welfare of people. Ferlon was confident the ACDP would win enough votes in the Cape to have a serious influence on who would govern the province. “We will most probably be the kingmaker this year,” he said. 

ACDP MP Cheryllyn Dudley answered questions about the ACDP’s relationship with the DA by saying, “The DA is not open to discussing any coalitions before the elections and has made it clear that they will not work with other opposition parties before elections unless they become fully integrated in the DA as the ID did. It is well known that the DA are pushing for a 2-party-state whereas the ACDP values and supports multi-party democracy which we credit with much of the relative stability and development in our country. 

“In South Africa we are a diverse people and presently we have the privilege of being able to vote for a party that best represents our values and principles – the lie that “a vote for a smaller party is a wasted vote” can be seen for what it is in looking at the DA who were a 7-person-party in Parliament not so long ago and started as a 1-person-party in Parliament before that. The DA do not recognise that they need us, but the time will come where this will become a reality.  All parties have their strengths and weaknesses – if you want a ‘better’ DA – VOTE ACDP!”

The ACDP has embraced the concept of a ‘Shared Future’ for all in South Africa and envisions a country that is the envy of other nations because of peaceful, sound and prosperous policies founded on morally upright but vibrant family structures serving as the building blocks of society. The manifesto is anchored around an appeal to Christian and traditional values – the core values upon which the party was founded. Like the ANC and the DA, the ACDP has targeted the quandaries of unemployment, poverty, inequality, violence and corruption plus “a sub-standard” education and health care as the cornerstone of its strategy.

ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe, addressing hundreds of the party’s supporters at their launch in Soweto said, “Our policies aim to address these challenges, restore dignity and investor confidence, and protect and strengthen families. Without these values, we will not see the restoration of the moral compass of our nation.”

Whilst having a broad base of support, most of the party’s branches are situated in Khayelitsha, Gugulethu and on the Cape Flats.  The ACDP offers an alternative for ANC and DA supporters disappointed in the track record and recent events in both parties. 

Speaking on the new Collective for Democracy (CD) of which the ACDP is part, Dudley said,  ”a country of diversity deserves a political leadership representing such diversity. Voters can now understand that their votes do count as the separate political parties will be working collectively in their interest.  

“The CD is a mechanism that will substantially increase cooperation on major issues affecting citizens. All over the world governments are increasingly being made up of a number of parties cooperating together. The same will happen in South Africa. 

“What political analyst Dr Somadoda Fikeni described as “strange political alliances” is actually symptomatic of a larger movement for realignment in politics. Parties working together will rescue South Africa from a collapsing economy and a ruling party presiding over mammoth corruption. This is what has to happen because time has run out. What has begun in terms of this Collective will bring value in the upcoming election – but is also bound to grow and offer a way forward for South Africa in all future elections. 

The party has set an annual economic growth target of 7 percent to boost employment by ensuring that the state provides an enabling environment for business to grow faster by raising global competitiveness and foreign earnings in sectors such as mining, construction, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism and tertiary education.

A professional public service and quality education and vocational training for sustained skills development are also at the heart of the ACDP’s manifesto.

Small and emerging entrepreneurs are seen as vital with the party planning to review the cumbersome regulatory environment and facilitate access to financial assistance and mentorship programmes. Interestingly, the ACDP looks to ensure that economic empowerment improves the workers’ living conditions through benefits such as workers’ share schemes rather than the current “pervading culture of enrichment that mainly benefits a small group of politically connected persons.”

The ACDP is looking for five MPLs in the Provincial legislature this year. At present Grant Haskins, the former Executive Deputy Mayor of Cape Town, where he also served as acting Mayor, is the party’s MPL in the Western Cape. 

ends

Teresa Conradie is the managing director of a Pretoria firm of attorneys and currently serves as deputy chair of Advocates Africa and Deputy Chair of the Global Council of Advocates International. Gateway News recently learned that she is at the centre of an ethics-based campaign to protect vulnerable community members by resisting a casino’s plans to  move into an area close to schools, churches and retirement homes. We asked her to tell us more about the campaign. This is her report:

Sun International
I was approached during July 2013 by Pastors Bruce Taylor and Andrew Roebert (Radio Impact) from Choose Life Church in Moreletapark after newspaper articles had appeared stating that a casino was to be established in Menlyn Maine. We made enquiries and found that Sun International had applied to the Gauteng Gambling Board for the transfer of their gambling licence from the Morula Sun to Menlyn Maine. The proposed casino would have twice as many gambling devices as Monte Casino has.

The 6000 objections in the boardroom of Motla Conradie Inc. before they went off to the Gambling Board.

Objections to the approval of transfer of the gambling license were due at the Gambling Board before 16 August 2013. With barely two weeks to go, we drafted a pro forma objection form which was made available to objectors electronically as well as at various churches and at the offices of Radio Impact. In what was a near supernatural effort, nearly 6 000 objections from individuals, Churches and other institutions were received and put together in bundles of 100 at our offices and submitted to the Gauteng Gambling Board on the due date.

Heart breaking
The pro forma objection form, apart from general reasons for objection, also contained a section where objectors could write in their personal objections. On reading these my heart broke and I was overwhelmed by the realisation of how widespread gambling addiction has become and on the other hand what devastating effect it has in people’s lives. Some of these comments included: “My father is addicted to gambling and he sells our clothes to get money to gamble”   “my husband landed up in prison as a result of his gambling habits”   ”my brother committed suicide when he couldn’t pay his gambling debts”  ”my matric son is addicted to gambling – please don’t bring the casino closer and make it easier for him to gamble” Many of the comments testified of gambling habits which had led to divorce and destruction of families.

It struck me that the objections had come from a cross section of society – rich, poor, young, old, white, black, etc. The objections ranged from concerns regarding security, crime and traffic but in particular concerns regarding the vulnerable groups within walking distance from the intended casino. Within a 1, 5 km radius of the proposed casino site there are 10 schools or colleges, 11 Churches and four retirement homes. The Glen High School in fact shares a boundary fence with the intended development site. There is also a large bus stop / taxi rank within 300 metres from the planned casino.

Objectors were distressed that Sun International had explicitly said in their application that the motivation for their application was that the Morula Sun was no longer financially viable and that moving the casino to Menlyn Maine would make it profitable. The application stated that the residents of Tshwane had the lowest propensity for gambling in Gauteng and that by moving the casino to Menlyn, it was Sun International’s aim to change this.

Praying for casino to close down
During this time we were contacted by the pastors of Soshanguve, a township north west of Pretoria where the Morula Sun is situated. They told us that they had been praying for many years that the Morula Sun would close down because of the devastating effect it has had on that community.

Sun International responded in writing to the objectors and public hearings are being held at the Gambling Board during the first week of April. Objectors will get the opportunity to make oral representation. A number of Christian lawyers have made themselves available to assist objectors during the public hearings.

In the meantime it had come to our attention that the rezoning of the property with the City of Tshwane had been approved to rezone the property to “Business 1 with place of amusement”. At closer investigation we established that not a single objection to the rezoning had been submitted to the Local Authority. This was surprising considering the number of objections submitted with the Gambling Board.

Prof Duncan Baker, the Ward Councillor for the Menlyn area, was approached to find out how the rezoning could have taken place without interested parties knowing about it. It then emerged that Prof Baker himself had been kept in the dark and that the rezoning application had been changed to include “a place of amusement” after he had approved the application for rezoning. The category “place of amusement” includes a casino. It was also established that the rezoning was initially advertised without reference to “place of amusement” and then later re-advertised to include it.

No mention of casino plan
According to Prof Baker he had been shown the site by the developer during January 2013 and no mention had been made that a casino was planned. During the site visit the developer compared the development to Lynnwood Bridge or Melrose Arch, neither of which of course have a casino.

Fourteen applicants which included Choose Life Church, Hatfield Christian Church and Hatfield Christian School, The Glen High School, St Alban’s College, St Mary’s DSG, The Weslyan Church, Stadtmission, Derek Prince Ministries, Varsity College, Serene Park Retirement Village and Glenstantia Primary School launched an application in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria during December 2013 applying for the review of the City Of Tshwane’s decision to rezone the property. The Respondents’ answering papers are currently being awaited. Adv Etienne Labuschagne SC has been instructed by our law firm, Motla Conradie Inc.

I have been struck and impressed by how much can be achieved when civil society works together and uses the legal processes which are available to them. In this case various churches and ministries have been leading the charge in an exemplary fashion. While people are fighting for what they believe in and fighting against what they don’t want, we are indeed witnessing true democracy in action!

UNASHAMEDLY ETHICAL invites True Champions to stand up and be counted: More than 15 000 South Africans have signed the Unashamedly Ethical commitment to a public life of ethics, values and clean living. If you haven’t committed yet, why not do so now, here?

Peter Throp and his wife Terry outside the Parow Magistrate’s Court on February 7, 2013, before he was found guilty of damaging public property. Throp appeared in court wearing a Mighty Men Tartan tie and Terry wore a Value Life shirt.

The Cape Town Supreme Court today (Friday, March 7, 2014) upheld an appeal by Christian pro-life activist Peter Throp against a conviction in February last year for damaging property by placing pro-life stickers over illegal abortion stickers. The full written judgement will be given on Monday. Prior to his conviction, the City of Cape Town hounded and threatened Throp for months, and the Mayor of Cape Town, Patricia de Lille, ignored his appeal for them to rather join him in protecting vulnerable women from the illegal abortionists. In June a Cape Town magistrate sentenced him to a fine of R5 000 or 3 months imprisonment suspended for 5 years. On Tuesday this week the City of Cape Town issued Throp with another summons in connection with his pro-life activities After today’s court ruling, Throp issued the following statement:

It is regrettable that we have arrived at this status quo on this issue, when with a little bit of compassion and thought (input) by the Mayor, the City could have avoided my prosecution.

The Mayor could have requested that the NPA suspend or decline the prosecution.  It is a clear case of those in authority and trusted with the well-being of the public, could not or refused to see the ‘elephant in the room’.   This whole issue is sad and certainly makes me ask if  they are serious about protecting women from abuse?    On the evening of my judgement and sentencing, I was in tears watching the story of Anna Booysen’s abuse being revealed on our TV News channels. 

One has to look at what has been achieved by my placing of the ‘Value Life’ sticker on top of the illegal abortion notices.   New contractors have been appointed, checks and balances have been put in place and possible irregularities in the returns have been addressed.

The cleaning of the environment has improved as the illegal, back street abortion notices, where they do get the opportunity to appear, can now be counted in their 10’s and 20’s and not in their thousands as before.   And for two years prior to the ‘Value Life’ campaign the City was telling me that they could do nothing.   (I would suggest that prior to the city’s resent positive action there was +/- half a million back street abortion notice’s displayed at any given time.)  It is a good feeling to know that the authorities can be held accountable and that there has been a tremendous public awareness created, as many of the public are now tearing down these illegal abortion advertising posters on the lamp posts. 

When one considers that at my sentencing, the prosecution called for leniency, yet the presiding Magistrate took it upon herself to sentence me to the maximum prison term of  3 months for this first time offence.  One has to ask if there was ‘outside’ influence in the judgement?  Because this action of ‘Value Life’ would have affected the whole country and would have called on all local authorities to take the action that the City of Cape Town were call[ed] on to take, which has had the positive result in preventing abuse against women.

The City has the power to decline to prosecute and I will cite two incidents.

The first is that when the Metro Police arrested a street musician recently, they broke his guitar.  Yet the NPA declined to prosecute the Metro Police members responsible, stating  “there was no intent to do damage to property by Metro Police members”.  Well equally, by placing my ‘Value Life’ stickers on the surface of illegal notices, there was also no intent to do damage to city property as my stickers never came into contact with the surface of any city property.

Recently somebody has seen the need to try to protect life in Bay Beach Avenue, Sunset Beach, Milnerton, by placing posters under a lawful ‘ stop’ sign. ( see attached photo [at bottom of page])  Whilst this is noble and most likely justifiable, they have taken action, most likely out of frustration, it nevertheless is illegal under Council By-laws. 

This exercise that I was persecuted for, was not about abortion, it was about the abuse to women.  The official figure is that at least 300 women a year die from going to illegal back street abortionists for an abortion. 

Good people in society, particularly Christians have got to be prepared to hold elected officials accountable when they fail to provide for the safety of the environment that we reside in.   If necessary Christians must be prepared to lose their freedom ([be] jailed) for standing up for truth and our ‘Bill of Rights’.  In this particular case the end result has justified my actions as the authorities are now working to give us a clean environment.

Would I do it again ?   Most certainly YES! 

All human beings have basic, natural rights – the most fundamental of these is the right to life.   The right to life belongs not only to the strong and the powerful.   It belongs to all human beings regardless of age, dependency, or ability.   The government exist to protect our natural rights and has a duty to protect the weak from the strong.   We all benefit when the law respects the dignity and value of every human life.   Government should protect the right to life because it is the foundation of all other liberties.

Abortion is irreversible, it is bad for a women’s health, it does their dignity no good and it cruelly kills an innocent baby.   

I am very grateful to Adv. Darryl Cooke and Gunston’s Attorneys for their compassion and input. 

All glory to Almighty God. 

God Bless.

Peter Throp ‘Value Life”