South Africa faces many challenges which includes having one of the highest unemployment rates in the world. Millions of South Africans are struggling to make ends meet and the ACDP, therefore, views the proposed electricity increase by Eskom, which has come in way above the inflation rate, to be unconscionable.

Charges against 95 Libyan citizens who received military-style training, just outside the town of White River in Mpumalanga have been dropped, despite police finding military grade weapons, ammunition, drugs and contraband at the site.

It has been rumoured over recent years that some tension and conflict exists between the leadership of the EFF, Mr Julius Malema and Mr Floyd Shivambu, as well as other members of the party who are not happy with the direction in which the party is going. With the resignation now of the EFF’s Deputy President, it would appear that there has been a degree of truth to these rumours.

The scenario and statistics given by Stats SA paints an even bleaker picture particularly when one looks at the expanded unemployment rate, which rose to 42.6%. Worryingly, when one adds the discouraged, 3.2 million, and “other not economically active”, 13.1 million to the 8.4 million officially unemployed, the figure of 23.9 million jobless people is stark.

We are now left with the questions: How many more of these illegal military-style training facilities exist on our soil? How many radical, fundamental groups are there, who seek to bring harm to South Africans, or destabilise our neighbours?

The military-style training camp was run illegally, and the instructors at the facility were allegedly not accredited. The investigation also found a second training facility only a few kilometres away.

Gauteng Education must look into ways to make scholar transport safer. Do these vehicles have regular roadworthy checks? Do the drivers have advanced driving skills? Are the minibuses overloaded or not?

The President must ensure that there is proper justification for the size of his cabinet, especially given that more than 10 portfolios will now have a minister and two deputies.

The ACDP remains committed to the rule of law, the principles of good governance, and to serving the people of South Africa. This we will do without fear, favour or prejudice, and committing to the principles of accountability and transparency in a participatory, constitutional democracy.

The ACDP not support efforts to prevent the declaration of the National and Provincial Election (NPE) results on Sunday, 2 June 2024. Neither do we support calls for a rerun of the 2024 NPE.

Given the substantial and numerous nature of the objections that will still be submitted by the ACDP and many other interested and affected parties in coming weeks, we reject the declaration by the SADC Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM) that these elections were free and fair.

Given the high levels of state capture and corruption in our country, as highlighted inter alia by Judge Zondo in the Zondo Commission Report, it is crucial that elected representatives are honest men and women who are above reproach and “possess the requisite respect for the rule of law.”