Pretoria mum on Bosch execution
2001-04-02 15:23
Cape Town - There is still no indication whether Pretoria will officially
protest against the weekend execution in Botswana of convicted
murderer Mariette Bosch, which went ahead without her family or the
South African government's knowledge.
Neither the presidency nor the Department of Foreign Affairs were
in a position to comment on the matter on Monday afternoon, saying
they were still awaiting confirmation in writing from Botswanan
authorities.
Presidential aide Bheki Khumalo said President Thabo Mbeki
spoke to his Botswanan counterpart Festus Mogae two months ago and
asked that Bosch's life be spared.
"However, Botswana is an independent and sovereign state which
reserved the right to take a decision on the matter," Khumalo said.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday
afternoon it was still awaiting written confirmation of the
execution, which authorities in Gaborone said had taken place on
Saturday.
A spokesperson would not be drawn on whether, in light of Mbeki's
request, it would have been courteous to officially inform the
South African government in advance.
On Monday morning, South African foreign affairs officials were
still denying that the execution had taken place, while Botswana
officials were telling the media otherwise.
Later on Monday, the foreign ministry said it had yet to receive
official confirmation in writing, although South Africa's mission
in Gaborone had been informed on Monday.
"The South African government ... is waiting for written
confirmation from Botswana's authorities to this effect," Foreign
Affairs ministry spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said.
"The South African government reiterates its principled opposition
to the death penalty as enshrined in the national Constitution and
upheld by the Constitutional Court.
"President Thabo Mbeki had conveyed the plea on behalf of the South
African government for the Botswanan government to spare Mariette
Bosch's life,".
However, Botswana was a sovereign state which had reserved the
right to take the final decision on the matter.
Bosch was sentenced to death last year for shooting dead her best
friend, Maria Magdalene Wolmarans, in 1996.
She then married Wolmarans' husband.
The Botswana Appeal Court in January refused an appeal against her
conviction.
Mogae, who supports the death penalty, refused clemency.
Meanwhile, the SA Human Rights Commission said Bosch's execution
was a setback for human rights.
"We are saddened by the turnout of events. Whenever the death
penalty is carried out it is a setback for a human rights culture,"
SAHRC spokesperson Phumla Mthala said.
Although the SAHRC did not have a mandate outside South Africa, it
had tried to do whatever it could to stop the execution.
"Unfortunately, we failed," she said. - Sapa
- SAPA