ACDP advocates for equal rights of all including LGBTQI+ community: Meshoe

African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) leader Kenneth Meshoe says his party advocates for the equal rights of all including the LGBTQI+ community.

Meshoe was speaking to the SABC in an exclusive interview on the party’s manifesto ahead of the November 1 Local Government Elections.

He says this is enshrined in the Constitution and says the party respects the community.

Meshoe says, “When we talk about LGBTQI, we say let everybody have, the Constitution speaks about equal rights, not extra and additional rights but equal rights and because of that, when a person is talented we don’t look at that. We don’t look at that, it’s just when a person says undermine what the scriptures are saying and believe what everybody’s belief is then I say no, don’t go that far but when it comes to respecting people, we definitely respect them.”

Israel

Meshoe says he supports the independence of any country but says he disagrees with the stance of South Africans against Israel.

Previously, he and party members picketed at the Constitutional Court in support of former Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.

This comes after Mogoeng was directed by the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC) to retract and apologise for his remarks on Israel and Palestine.

Meshoe says, “I support anybody who wants to have independence, I support them. I have never said I don’t support them but where I disagree with most South Africans is that they want to take a position against Israel and my other problem is when you read the Palestinian Charter, they talk about destroying and annihilating.”

Earlier, he denied that his party could be in conflict with the Constitution and said whilst the ACDP does not agree with the termination of pregnancies, it is more concerned about leadership.

ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe on the party’s manifesto and election campaign: