Brink slams govt over crime

2006-09-27 08:49

Liesl Louw

Pretoria - A war of words is raging in France between acclaimed writer Andre P Brink and South Africa's ambassador to France over the government's handling of crime.

Brink, whose works have been translated into French and are popular in France, warned this week in the latest of three articles in the daily Le Monde about the "tragic end" of South Africa's democracy as a result of the government's silence about crime.

In his first article he criticised Charles Nqakula, minister of safety and security, calling him a "monster" and betrayer of the legacy of Nelson Mandela.

Nqakula will announce the latest national crime statistics in Pretoria on Wednesday.

Brink was expected to receive a national order award from President Thabo Mbeki on Wednesday for his contribution to literature and the "fight for justice and democracy".

'New elite' slammed

In his latest article, Brink wrote in answer to ambassador Noma-sonto Sibanda-Thusa, that "during the first 12 years after our first democratic election, I tried to convince everybody inside and outside the country who doubted the new South Africa, that the negative aspects of the transition were only temporarily and superficial coincidences. Today I cannot say that any more".

On August 24 he strongly criticised South Africa's "new elite" in the same daily, saying their actions were "directly related to the increase in violence in the country".

"Their first priority is apparently to fill their own pockets and those of family and friends and to abuse their positions, even if they have to step on the victims of murder, rape and violence and telling those who dare protest to shut up or leave," wrote Brink.

Sibanda-Thusa wrote back on September 16 that although South Africa was still a deeply wounded community and suffered as a result of the legacy of apartheid, the government was making good progress in its fight against crime.

'Unjust' criticism

According to Sibanda-Thusa, the number of murders in 2004-5 had dropped by 30% compared to the previous year.

She admitted that Brink had the right to criticise because of what he had done in the past, and that he had a lot of influence in France, where his work was very popular.

However, she was of the opinion that the criticism was "unjust" and that the South African dream had not been betrayed.

"The government is fighting criminality, Aids and poverty powerfully and seriously."

- Beeld