LISTEN: Those we defended from mandatory vaccines promised us votes - ACDP
The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) believes the party's 2021 march against mandatory vaccinations will translate into votes.
Party leader Reverend Kenneth Meshoe spoke to Jacaranda FM News ahead of the May 29 elections.
The party led several pickets to the Constitutional Court in 2021 to support those who were opposed to the Covid-19 vaccine mandates.
Although the party came in for criticism from
some quarters, Meshoe says he received positive feedback during the campaign trail.
He says this was from various South Africans who felt protected from the lack of transparency by the government.
"During Covid-19, many people heard the noise we were making, they saw us go to court to challenge plans to make the vaccine mandatory.
“We were saying people must be given a choice, those who want can take it, and those who don't want it shouldn't be forced.
“We have messages from people saying thank you for this," says Meshoe.
CONTROVERSIAL ABORTION POLICY
South Africans have less than a week to make a decision on their vote before the country heads to the polls on Wednesday.
The decision will take in various factors, including manifestos, party policies and ideology.
The stance of some parties on certain issues isn’t universally popular – including the ACDP’s policy on the country’s abortion laws.
The ACDP, which has been represented in Parliament since 1994, continues to defend its stance against legal abortion.
The party has been consistent in trying to amend the South African constitution, which allows for the termination of pregnancy.
In 2017, the party proposed a bill that proposed restricting access to safe abortion in the country.
Meshoe says their stance is meant to protect family values.
Although many South Africans have criticised the party for this, Meshoe says their position on this has not changed and will not cost them votes.
LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW BELOW: