ACDP to approach Human Rights Commission over rag mag attack on Christ and Christians; Demands apology from UCT editor and team.

Rev Kenneth Meshoe, MP and President of the ACDP demands a public apology from the authors and editors of UCT Sax Appeal Magazine for its hate-speech attack on Christ and Christians.

"The ACDP is appalled at the content of the University of Cape Town (UCT) rag magazine published by students and sold to the public. The material is a repugnant and blasphemous attack on the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and on Christians using words most decent people have never uttered because of their vulgar and course nature. This is hate-speech at its worst which cannot go unchallenged.

We appreciate the apology from the University Vice, and Deputy Vice, Chancellor and the Rag Chairman, but since they are not the ones who wrote the magazine we require an apology from the authors and editors who must take responsibility for their actions.

The attack is clearly meant to be hate-speech and succeeds in being deeply offensive and hurtful to Christians who love God and the ACDP condemns this material in the strongest possible terms.

For too long university rag magazines have got away with offensive material as if they were outside the law. They have been granted the freedom to publish responsibly and have not done so. The time has come to curb such offensive material.

The ACDP asks why the editorial advisory board that should work with students to advise on the publication's content did not do their job.

The ACDP calls on all Christians to stand up and express their revulsion at this material to businesses supporting the magazine to ensure that such attacks will not take place against any religion in any magazine.

We will be approaching the SA Human Rights Commission to investigate this matter.

The ACDP demands that the editorial staff be exposed immediately and that they apologise"

Statement issued by Rev Kenneth Meshoe, MP, President of the African Christian Democratic Party, February 23 2009