FAREWELL SPEECH: REV KRJ MESHOE MP

Honourable Speaker,

I firstly wish to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for this opportunity given to me to say a few words of farewell to my honourable colleagues in this august house.

It was indeed a privilege to be a member of the National Assembly since our first democratic election in 1994, which saw the last vestiges of apartheid put behind us. It was also an honour and privilege to serve under the leadership and presidency of former President Nelson Mandela, who showed remarkable statesmanship, courage, and ability to unite the entire nation behind a process of reconciliation and nation building.

Many of my colleagues in this House have been asking me why I have decided to resign from Parliament and what I will be doing from now on.

To answer their question I want to inform honourable members that the 2014 elections are very important to the ACDP. We would like to see the party move beyond its small minority status and take a big step forward in our representation in all spheres of government. In order to do this we have to do a lot of groundwork and have to become much more visible to voters.  I intend to lead by example and make myself more available to the party, our core constituents and the broader public. I will be working with our people on the ground, reaching out to more voters from diverse communities, and also strengthening the ACDP structures.

My other focus will also be on media and communication. This will require substantial funding to successfully compete on a level playing field with other political parties. As part of the ACDP's fundraising efforts, necessary for a successful marketing and communications election campaign, I will have to travel domestically and internationally.

For the next four to five months, it will not be possible for me to be in parliament because of my tight work schedule. This will mean that I will be unable to fulfil the parliamentary duties I am paid for. Honourable members, my conscience will not allow me to receive payment from parliament when I cannot attend to my parliamentary duties. I have therefore decided to step down temporarily from parliament to help grow the party.

Honourable Members, be assured, I am neither quitting politics, nor stepping down as the leader of the ACDP. As a matter of emphasis, ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to reiterate that I am still the President of the African Christian Democratic Party who for the next few months will be having other priorities to focus on.

I will be suitably replaced by the ACDP's Deputy President, Councillor Wayne Thring who has been with the party for 13 years in the Ethekwini Metro serving as the caucus leader in Council and currently also as the Provincial leader of the party in KwaZulu-Natal. He is a man of integrity, wisdom and balance and I am confident that he will do the job with diligence.

God willing, I will see many of you after the 2014 general elections when I will be coming back to Parliament with an army of new African Christian Democratic Party members.

I want to close my farewell remarks by invoking the Aaronic benediction as recorded in the book of Numbers 6:24-26. It reads as follows:

The Lord bless you, and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; 

The Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.'

Lastly, I want to thank my heavenly Father for giving me good health and grace to fulfill my duties in this parliament, and the opportunity to do my utmost to protect and promote Biblical principles in politics as I understand them.

I also wish to thank all members of the ACDP, particularly my dear wife for her unwavering support, my lovely children, the NEC, our parliamentary staff and my colleagues in Parliament, Steve Swart and Cheryllyn Dudley for their diligence and the excellent working relationship we have enjoyed together.

Finally, I want to thank all the presiding officers for dealing kindly with me, particularly the Speaker of the National Assembly, honourable Max Sisulu for his decisive leadership, impartiality and outstanding example he has been to me, and hopingly, to us all.

Farewell, for now, and God bless you all.

Issued by the ACDP, June 21 2013

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