Balfour forgives complainant

2008-11-14 18:05

Pretoria - Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour on Friday said he had forgiven the complainant who had reported him to the National Assembly's ethics committee for supposedly breaching Parliament's code of ethics.

Speaking at the launch of corrections week in Pretoria, the minister said he, as a Christian, had forgiven the complainant.

The committee had been investigating complaints by former correctional services national commissioner Vernie Petersen - who alleged that Balfour's 4x4 Volkswagen Toureg could be a gift from a company linked to the Bosasa group of companies which had won a multi-million rand prisons tender.

The ethics committee however on Thursday came to decision that Balfour had not breached Parliament's code of ethics. "I hate corruption, I can never be involved in corruption and those who are corrupt ought to be arrested and put where they belong.

"The ethics committee has cleared that and they've no doubt about it anymore. I forgive the complainant. I forgive him whoever he is... he must rest assured wherever he is that I've forgiven him.

"I've gone through hell but that is behind me now and he'll live with his conscience for years to come. And I pray for him as well," said Balfour.

Referring to corrections week, Balfour said the country was suffering from a "serious, serious crime problem".

His department was aware that some offenders could be not be rehabilitated and the minister referred in particular to multiple crime accused Annanias Mathe as well as Clive Derby-Lewis, convicted killer of SA Communist Party boss Chris Hani.

"... I will tell you will not go out (of prison) Clive Derby-Lewis... you can go to hell. You're not going to go out until you do your time, it's as simple as that," he said.

Derby-Lewis had his application for parole postponed in the Pretoria High Court last month.

The 72-year-old was convicted along with Janusz Walus of assassinating Hani in April 1993.

"Some offenders will never change, we'll never willy nilly let them go out."

- SAPA