DA: Pardon 'is a political act'

2005-01-18 17:03

Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance says it has written to President Thabo Mbeki asking for the full reasons behind his decision to pardon convicted cleric Dr Allan Boesak.

DA justice spokesperson Sheila Camerer said on Tuesday she had also given the list of questions to Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla.

She said that, in terms of the department of justice's own guidelines, remorse for having committed a crime was usually a prerequisite for pardon.

She said: "Allan Boesak was released three years ago and has not, so far, shown remorse or even admitted guilt regarding his conviction of theft and fraud."

The presidency has limited its explanation for the pardon so far to saying it is "in the public interest".

'Entrenchment of corruption in SA'

Camerer said she had asked the president and the minister what criteria and guidelines were used in weighing up his application.

She said she also had asked them what motivation had supported the pardon.

She wanted to know whether the donors, who gave the money that Boesak stole from his Foundation for Peace and Justice, were consulted.

She also had asked whether the pardon was consistent with Mbeki's commitment to set the government firmly against the entrenchment of corruption in South Africa.

She said: "In order to address the growing perception among the public that this pardon was a nakedly political act to benefit a member of the African National Congress elite, the president and the minister of justice should provide answers to these questions as soon as possible."

"They need to explain why it is that an ANC member convicted of stealing a large amount of donor money from the poor has been given what appears to be preferential treatment, while other, less connected persons are overlooked."

Boesak was convicted in 1999 and was paroled after two years of his three-year prison term.

- SAPA