'What about our pardons?'

2005-01-17 17:28

Johannesburg - The Inkatha Freedom Party reacted on Monday to cleric Alan Boesak's presidential pardon by focusing on the 394 names it had submitted for pardon.

And, Pan-Africanist Congress president Motsoko Pheko said he was indignant Boesak had been allowed to "jump the queue" while former PAC freedom fighters had been languishing in jail since 1995.

It was announced at the weekend that Boesak had been granted a presidential pardon which expunged his criminal record of fraud and theft relating to his tenure as chairman of the Foundation for Peace and Justice.

He served two years of his six-year sentence and was released on parole.

IFP chief whip Koos van der Merwe said: "It is unimaginable that the presidential pardon of Dr Allan Boesak is merely an isolated case.

"The IFP trusts that this pardon is merely a tip of the iceberg and that numerous other pardons will follow.

'A grand reconciliation amnesty'

The IFP has submitted 394 names for pardon to the president on behalf of prisoners who committed crimes with political motives.

Numerous other applications also were submitted by other interested parties and "nothing has been done so far".

Van der Merwe called for a "comprehensive grand reconciliation amnesty by the president".

Former leading anti-apartheid activist Boesak plans to remain in the church and will do part-time pastoral work in a congregation in Piketberg in the Western Cape.

- SAPA