Yengeni ruling: ANC 'pained'

2005-11-11 22:25

Pretoria - The African National Congress noted "with pain" the Pretoria High Court's dismissal on Friday of an appeal by politician Tony Yengeni against a fraud conviction and four-year sentence.

"The ANC is saddened by the fact that a person of Comrade Yengeni's calibre, who made a major contribution to the liberation struggle of our people, should find himself in this unfortunate situation," it said.

"However, the ANC will continue to respect the judiciary."

The party would continue giving Yengeni moral and political support, it added.

The ANC would also remain in contact with Yengeni's wife, Lumka, and children, to whom it extended "a word of strength".

Membership

Party spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama could not be reached to comment on the effect of the judgment on Yengeni's membership of the ANC's national executive committee.

The SA Students Congress expressed outrage at the judgment.

"This ruling is clearly an indication that our country is still very far from the judiciary transformation (sic)."

Yengeni's conviction related to his failure to register a benefit in parliament, and did not involve the actual theft of money from any state organ or individual, said the student body.

"Failure to disclose in parliament is not equivalent to a heinous crime but is a procedural matter," it continued.

"As Sasco, we are failing to understand the logic of the court because many self-confessed rapists and racist mass murderers under the leadership of (Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging leader) Eugene Terre'Blanche get only 18 months while our leaders are sent away for simple discounts (sic).

"Even worse, the court was contemplating to increase his sentence which clearly demonstrates its desire to remove him from the society (sic)."

Thankful

The African Christian Democratic Party said Yengeni should be thankful his sentence was not increased.

"This judgment sends a clear message regarding society's disapproval of fraud and corruption, which is reported to cost the South African economy between R50bn and R150bn a year," it said.

Democratic Alliance chief whip Douglas Gibson praised the judgment as a "withering refutation" of Yengeni's allegations about former national director of public prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka.

"The judges have sent a message that those who are corrupt should be made to pay for it."

The court found that the four-year jail term imposed on Yengeni "errs significantly on the side of leniency".

- SAPA