Speaker, during an address in Cape Town on 17 October 2009, I said that "some Christians sometimes feel that some of the country's laws do not accord with Christian principles to the extent that they should".
Having expressed this view, I wish to remind the House that South Africa is a secular state in which the Constitution and the rule of law are supreme. It is a country of many faiths, denominations and beliefs. The Bill of Rights stipulates that "everyone has a right to freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief and opinion". It would therefore be incorrect to give reference in the development of legislation to any one religion or faith.
As publicly elected representatives of our people from diverse religions, faiths and beliefs, it is my contention that we should at all times strive to ensure that our laws neither offend the beliefs of any group nor impose the beliefs of others. Rather, we should ensure that our laws are consistent with the values that are common to all South Africans.
As hon members would know, there are channels available for people who believe that within plausible grounds, certain laws need to be repealed or amended. I would therefore encourage people to understand the context within which our laws have been formulated. Any person has the right to approach any of the relevant institutions should they feel that their constitutional rights have been infringed upon. Thank you. [Applause.]