# African Christian Democratic Party
The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) is a South African Christian-conservative political party founded in December 1993 to represent Christians in parliament, led by Reverend Kenneth Meshoe and positioned on the center-right.[1](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/political-party-african-christian-democratic-party/) • [2](https://upmonographs.up.ac.za/index.php/ESI/catalog/download/30/233/434?inline=1) It won 3 seats in the 2024 National Assembly election.[3](https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/sun-sets-2024-elections)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | December 1993, to represent South African Christians in parliament[1](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/political-party-african-christian-democratic-party/) |
| Leader | Reverend Kenneth Meshoe MP, party president[2](https://upmonographs.up.ac.za/index.php/ESI/catalog/download/30/233/434?inline=1) • [4](https://www.acdp.org.za/Manifesto2024.pdf) |
| Position and ideology | Centre right; Christian conservatism[2](https://upmonographs.up.ac.za/index.php/ESI/catalog/download/30/233/434?inline=1) |
| 2024 result | 3 seats in the National Assembly[3](https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/sun-sets-2024-elections) |
| Historical vote share | 0.45% in 1994, 1.43% in 1999, 1.59% in 2004; between 0.8% and 0.4% since 2009[2](https://upmonographs.up.ac.za/index.php/ESI/catalog/download/30/233/434?inline=1) • [5](https://www.elections.org.za/content/NPEPublicReports/50/Detailed%20Results/National.pdf) |
| Regional base | Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal; municipal representation in all provinces[2](https://upmonographs.up.ac.za/index.php/ESI/catalog/download/30/233/434?inline=1) |
| Economic stance | Open market economy with a social conscience[4](https://www.acdp.org.za/Manifesto2024.pdf) |
## Founding and principles
The party was formed in December 1993, months before South Africa's first fully democratic election, with the stated aim of representing South African Christians in parliament.[1](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/political-party-african-christian-democratic-party/) Its constitution describes a Christian party founded on biblical principles that seeks a civil government of trust and integrity based on peace, security, personal freedom, national unity, and reconciliation, and holds that healthy families should be the foundation of South African society.[2](https://upmonographs.up.ac.za/index.php/ESI/catalog/download/30/233/434?inline=1) Its 2009 election manifesto summarized its platform as "Christian principles, freedom of religion, a free-market economy, family values, community empowerment and human rights in a federal system".[1](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/political-party-african-christian-democratic-party/)
The party's own slogan describes "unashamedly God-fearing, capable, servant leadership, with family at heart", and it commits to building "a united South Africa, one sovereign nation under God".[6](https://acdp.org.za/)
## Electoral record
The ACDP quadrupled its support between the 1994 and 2004 national elections, from 0.45% of the national vote in 1994 to 1.43% in 1999 and 1.59% in 2004, when it received 242,924 votes nationally.[2](https://upmonographs.up.ac.za/index.php/ESI/catalog/download/30/233/434?inline=1) • [5](https://www.elections.org.za/content/NPEPublicReports/50/Detailed%20Results/National.pdf) Since 2009 its national share has swung between 0.8% and 0.4%, regaining some lost ground in 2019.[2](https://upmonographs.up.ac.za/index.php/ESI/catalog/download/30/233/434?inline=1) In the 2019 election it took 59,147 votes, 2.80% of the [Western Cape](https://www.edgepedia.org/western-cape) provincial ballot.[7](https://www.elections.org.za/content/NPEPublicReports/699/Results%20Report/WP/WP.pdf)
In the 2024 national and provincial elections, held on 29 May 2024, the party won 3 seats in the National Assembly.[3](https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/sun-sets-2024-elections) In Gauteng it received 31,959 votes, a 0.80% valid-vote share, placing it tenth of more than fifty parties on the provincial ballot.[8](https://election.org/country/south-africa/elections/2024/national-assembly/province/gauteng) The party draws the bulk of its support from the Western Cape, Gauteng, and [KwaZulu-Natal](https://www.edgepedia.org/kwazulu-natal), and is represented at municipal level in all provinces.[2](https://upmonographs.up.ac.za/index.php/ESI/catalog/download/30/233/434?inline=1)
## Coalition politics and government roles
Although small in Parliament, the ACDP has taken part in coalition governments across the country. It has held the Deputy Mayor's post in [Cape Town](https://www.edgepedia.org/cape-town) and several Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) positions in [Johannesburg](https://www.edgepedia.org/johannesburg), Ekurhuleni, Mogale City, and Nelson Mandela Bay.[2](https://upmonographs.up.ac.za/index.php/ESI/catalog/download/30/233/434?inline=1) In 2014 the ANC-breakaway Congress of the People (COPE) formed a campaigning coalition with, among others, the ACDP, the [Inkatha Freedom Party](https://www.edgepedia.org/inkatha-freedom-party), the United Christian Democratic Party, and the Freedom Front Plus.[9](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000203971404900204)
Ahead of the 2024 election the party took two distinct positions on alliances. In October 2023 it joined the Multi-Party Charter, which it described not as a coalition but as a gathering of parties concerned about the country's direction under the governing [African National Congress](https://www.edgepedia.org/african-national-congress); at the same time it stated that it stood opposed to joining or establishing coalitions prior to an election.[6](https://acdp.org.za/)
## Policy positions
**Economy.** The 2024 manifesto states that the ACDP supports an open market economy with a social conscience, with policies aimed at unemployment, poverty, and inequality through faster growth. Its proposals include infrastructure development, support for small businesses through mentoring and start-up funding, expanding the Employment Tax Incentive, reducing red tape for business registration, removing policy uncertainty such as that relating to land, and ending cadre deployment and race-based policies.[4](https://www.acdp.org.za/Manifesto2024.pdf) On energy, the manifesto calls for greater use of original equipment manufacturers for power-station maintenance, prioritizing high-grade and clean coal technology, supporting increased renewable energy with a larger role for independent power producers, and involving the coal mining sector in the transition to renewables.[4](https://www.acdp.org.za/Manifesto2024.pdf) In budget statements the party has emphasized stabilizing public debt, citing 60% of GDP as the maximum sustainable debt ratio recommended for an emerging market economy like South Africa's.[10](https://acdp.org.za/acdps-2026-budget-expectations/)
**Health and social policy.** The party has strongly opposed mandatory Covid-19 vaccination, attempting to halt the mandate in court, and has called for South Africa to withdraw from all World Health Organisation protocols.[2](https://upmonographs.up.ac.za/index.php/ESI/catalog/download/30/233/434?inline=1) Its 2024 manifesto criticizes amendments to the International Health Regulations and the proposed pandemic treaty as threats to South Africa's sovereign right to determine its own public health policies.[4](https://www.acdp.org.za/Manifesto2024.pdf)
**Foreign policy.** Following the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, the party stated that it stands unequivocally in support of Israel and the Jewish people.[6](https://acdp.org.za/)
## Place in South African politics
A discussion document on macro-social trends published by the South African Presidency characterized the ACDP as a party that uses religious conservatism as a party political platform but has not had a significant impact on political contestation, while noting a slight increase in its support in the democratic elections since 1994.[11](https://www.thepresidency.gov.za/sites/default/files/2022-05/A%20Nation%20in%20the%20Making%20%E2%80%93%20A%20discussion%20document%20on%20macro-social%20trends%20in%20South%20Africa.pdf) Its consistent small bloc of seats has made it a recurring coalition partner at municipal level and a participant in post-2024 multiparty politics.[2](https://upmonographs.up.ac.za/index.php/ESI/catalog/download/30/233/434?inline=1) • [3](https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/sun-sets-2024-elections)
## References
1. [Political Party: African Christian Democratic Party, SABC News](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/political-party-african-christian-democratic-party/)
2. [ACDP chapter, University of Pretoria monograph series](https://upmonographs.up.ac.za/index.php/ESI/catalog/download/30/233/434?inline=1)
3. [Sun sets on 2024 elections, SAnews](https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/sun-sets-2024-elections)
4. [ACDP Manifesto 2024, National and Provincial Elections](https://www.acdp.org.za/Manifesto2024.pdf)
5. [2004 Provincial Election Detailed Results, Electoral Commission of South Africa](https://www.elections.org.za/content/NPEPublicReports/50/Detailed%20Results/National.pdf)
6. [African Christian Democratic Party official website](https://acdp.org.za/)
7. [2019 National Election Results Report, Western Cape, Electoral Commission of South Africa](https://www.elections.org.za/content/NPEPublicReports/699/Results%20Report/WP/WP.pdf)
8. [2024 Gauteng Election Results by Party, Election.org](https://election.org/country/south-africa/elections/2024/national-assembly/province/gauteng)
9. [Ulf Engel (2014), South Africa: The 2014 National and Provincial Elections, Africa Spectrum](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000203971404900204)
10. [ACDP's 2026 Budget Expectations, African Christian Democratic Party](https://acdp.org.za/acdps-2026-budget-expectations/)
11. [A Nation in the Making: A Discussion Document on Macro-social Trends in South Africa, The Presidency](https://www.thepresidency.gov.za/sites/default/files/2022-05/A%20Nation%20in%20the%20Making%20%E2%80%93%20A%20discussion%20document%20on%20macro-social%20trends%20in%20South%20Africa.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Politics and government › Political systems and ideas › Political parties and party families › Christian democratic parties › Christian democratic parties of Africa, Asia, and Oceania › Christian democratic parties of Africa*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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