2004 - Vol 3
Action Reports
CHRISTIAN ACTION RALLY
NEW BOOK LAUNCHED
VICTIMS AGAINST CRIME
DECEPTIVE PRESS RELEASE
ANC TO CANCEL CHRISTMAS?
PRISONERS IN ZIMBABWE
PRESENTATION AT PARLIAMENT
OUTREACHES IN THE MALL
DISTRIBUTE LITERATURE
CHRISTIAN ACTION RALLY
On Thursday 16 September ACA hosted a Christian Action Rally in Cape Town. Rev. Kjell Olsen, Deputy President of Christians for Truth, opened the meeting with a powerful message on: Is There Hope? After taking a cold, hard look at the realities of crime, lawlessness, abortion, suicide and the tidal wave of godlessness threatening our families and communities, Rev. Olsen zeroed in on the hope killers within our own hearts: Fear, pride, guilt, greed and envy. We cannot expect to change society until we have surrendered to the Lordship of Christ and allowed God's Word to change our own hearts, attitudes and minds.
Dr. Peter Hammond, the Director of Christian Action Network, presented an inspiring PowerPoint slide presentation on the many projects undertaken by Christian Action over the last 13 years.
Johan Leach of Waymakers gave testimony to the many lives that have been changed by community action, and challenged the audience to get the training necessary on first aid, emergency fire services, counselling, etc. and to get involved in various community actions, or to initiate them, to tackle the many desperate needs in our own community.
Charl van Wyk, the Director of Africa Christian Action, promoted the many upcoming projects, especially the Life Chain (3 October) and Reformation Conference (29 - 30 October). The Rally was well attended, including by people who said this was their first contact with Christian Action.
“If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
NEW BOOK LAUNCHED
Dr. Peter Hammond was a speaker at the Christians For Truth Conference where our latest book, Character Assassins was launched. Several hundred copies of the book were purchased at the Conference and we have already begun receiving enthusiastic responses from Christian leaders worldwide towards this timely and much needed book.
VICTIMS AGAINST CRIME
Victims Against Crime has been heavily involved in numerous placard protests outside Parliament in Cape Town against the cumbersome and counter productive Firearms Control Act which threatens basic rights and infringes on the right to property, presumption of innocence and access to weapons for self-defence.
The FCA allows for unwarranted search and seizures, puts the burden of proof on the accused, and violates many accepted standards of western law.
DECEPTIVE PRESS RELEASE
The Central Firearms Register has once again tried to turn a law-abiding citizen and business owner into a criminal. News reports around South Africa carried the story of "excellent police work" that was the result of "an extensive follow-up after the receipt of a tip-off." An illegal arms shipment was said to have been seized!
The ammunition was, in fact, intended for New Generation Ammunition (NGA), located in Centurion and not, as alleged, for "an unknown company" in Randburg. NGA had a legal import licence on hand for this shipment. A simple delay in delivery, however, meant that NGA's licence had expired before the shipment arrived in South Africa.
"We have been in constant contact with SAPS Central Firearms Register since 23 July 2004 (a full two months) in order, either to extend the present import permit, or to obtain a new one. All our efforts have been to no avail, with no valid explanation forthcoming. Why the Central Firearms Register provided an import licence in the first instance, and then refused to extend it, is under investigation by NGA," said the CEO, Mr Ivan R Monsieur.
To the best of NGA's knowledge, the same Central Firearms Register, having been kept up to date by NGA at all times about the arrival of the container last Sunday, then presumably 'tipped off' the Durban Police regarding the now technically 'illegal' cargo.
This incident illustrates just one of many reasons why Victims Against Crime have steadfastly opposed the Firearms Control Act. Instead of dealing with real criminals the FCA criminalises normal law-abiding citizens.
How many of the statistics quoted by the government of successful arrests and prosecutions have nothing to do with crime at all? Harassing gun shop owners and prosecuting farmers who have inherited their grandfather's rifles hardly qualifies for 'fighting crime'. When will they get serious about fighting crime and stop criminalising the victims to bolster misleading statistics and deceptive press statements?
ANC TO CANCEL CHRISTMAS?
"No public holiday is sacred," says government as it reviews the SA Calendar. South Africa's 12 public holidays are up for review and "not one will be regarded as sacred". This warning was given by the Department of Home Affairs.
The statement said Christmas Day and Easter were not exempt.
“I cannot guarantee that we will still have the Christmas Day holiday. At this stage anything is possible. There is no holiday that is regarded as being sacred”, declared Rufus Malatjie, the Chief Director of legal services at Home Affairs.
PRISONERS IN ZIMBABWE
Dr. Peter Hammond was flown up to Johannesburg to take part in a live one-hour debate on prime time National TV, The Big Question?, on the human rights abuses and the ongoing lawlessness in Zimbabwe. The audience and thousands of phone-in viewers voted overwhelmingly for our position that South Africa should do far more to help the prisoners suffering in Zimbabwe.
PRESENTATION AT PARLIAMENT
As Director of the Christian Action Network, Dr. Peter Hammond was called upon to give a submission to the Health Portfolio Committee at Parliament. This submission, both written and verbal, was accompanied with stunning visuals by a PowerPoint slide presentation arguing for the right to life of pre-born babies to be respected and protected by law. We urged that the abortion legislation in South Africa be scrapped.
OUTREACHES IN THE MALL
On National Women's Day, ACA organised outreaches and displays at five shopping centres to campaign for more respect and protection for women by combating the exploitative industry of pornography. This was the tenth year in a row that we have organised the National Women's Day outreaches. Book tables with photo displays were set up in the shopping malls, balloons with pro-family slogans and Scripture verses were distributed to children, chocolates and literature to the women, and many interesting conversations and witnessing opportunities resulted. This year we also had eight American missionary volunteers join us for these shopping mall outreaches.
DISTRIBUTE LITERATURE
Quantities of pro-life leaflets are also available from ACA, including: Abortion the Facts (also available in Afrikaans); Milestones of Life (also available in Afrikaans and Xhosa); It's My Body; Show You Care; and You Can Stop Abortions.
“If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength! Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering towards slaughter. If you say, but we knew nothing about this, does not He who weighs the heart not perceive it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?” Proverbs 24:10-12