Pahad's wife charged

2003-08-19 08:45

Llwellyn Prince

Cape Town - The wife of deputy minister of foreign affairs, Aziz Pahad, appeared in Goodwood magistrate's court on Monday on charges of drunken driving and resisting arrest.

Sandra Jean Black-Pahad, 51, from Pretoria, wasn't asked to plead.

Magistrate Ricardo Phillips postponed the case until September 25 for further investigation. Black-Pahad was released with a warning after being arrested about 22:50 on Friday night.

She was pulled over at a roadblock in Elsies River and charged for allegedly driving a BMW while under the influence of alcohol. She apparently resisted when police wanted to arrest her.

Black-Pahad did not want to comment on Monday and said she still had to consult with her legal representatives.

When asked whether she was of the Muslim faith, she said her husband was, but she wasn't.

Ronnie Mamoepa, spokesperson for the department of foreign affairs, declined to comment and added that the deputy minister would also not comment on his wife's arrest. "It is a police matter. Rather talk to them," said Mamoepa.

A reliable source said Black-Pahad arrived at the roadblock and thought it was an accident scene.

"She got out to investigate and police told her to get back in her car. When she refused to listen to them, the officers tested her for alcohol.

"The result was higher than the legal limit and she resisted when they wanted to arrest her. She was taken to Ravensmead police station, where she was officially charged and released," the source said.

The source said the police's unit for very important persons was called in to Ravensmead police station and officers of this unit accompanied Pahad home.

Senior Superintendent Selby Bokaba, spokesperson for this unit, denied that the unit was called in to accompany Pahad home.

"As far as I know, Mrs Pahad's husband is a politician and not she. The unit would only have been called in if her husband had been with her," he said.

Dr Boy Geldenhuys, NNP spokesperson on foreign affairs, said he did not believe politicians could assume responsibility for what their family members did. He said the incident did, however, show that nobody in South Africa is above the law.

Douglas Gibson of the Democratic Alliance said he regretted hearing about the incident.

"Mrs Black-Pahad is a very charming and pleasant person and the fact that she isn't a politician, makes this a private matter. The law has to take its course," he said.

Black-Pahad was involved in another incident at Ravensmead police station about a month ago when a man allegedly hit the couple's son, Zayrer, 4, over the head on a flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town. She said this case was still under investigation.

- Die Burger