Kids will be kids, says envoy

2006-10-08 23:00

Mandy Rossouw

London - The British government has given a South African diplomat 28 days to pack up and return to South Africa after one of his sons apparently took part in an armed robbery and the other was labelled "a terrorist".

The British foreign office told the diplomat, who was the head of administration of the South African high commissioner's office in Trafalgar Square, to be out of Britain by October 17.

The foreign-office move apparently is a culmination of misdemeanours by two of the diplomat's sons.

His 19-year-old son apparently took part in an armed robbery two years ago.

The teenager and his friends apparently forced a boy at knifepoint to hand over his music player.

Official request

The diplomat's 12-year-old son was arrested last year when he took a toy firearm to his primary school.

The diplomat and his family were protected by diplomatic immunity and, in accordance with British law, couldn't be prosecuted.

The British government asked South Africa's high commissioner in London, Dr Lindiwe Mabuza, to send the diplomat home.

Ronnie Mamoepa, spokesperson for the department of foreign affairs, confirmed the diplomat had been recalled because of "his children's misdemeanours."

The diplomat told Beeld: "Children will be children.

"They merely did things teenagers do.

"My son took a toy firearm to school. He bought it with his pocket money at a shop close to the school without my knowledge.

"They saw it as a terrorist activity. The school principal called me in and I apologised."

He accused his seniors of not supporting him.

He denied his return was aimed at bypassing British law so that his children wouldn't be prosecuted.

He also blamed the South African government for the way the matter had been handled.

"I was treated unfairly and I blame the system for which I work. Now, I've got to leave the country as if I'm a felon, for something my children did."

Mamoepa acknowledged that it was an "unusual" step for a diplomat to lose his post because of his children's misdemeanours.

The diplomat's contract at the high commissioner's office expired in July, but Mabuza asked that it be extended.

The two teenagers returned to South Africa shortly after their misdemeanours.

Going to make 'serious money' now

The diplomat and his wife have lived in London for the past four years. With them is their year-old daughter.

The diplomat said: "My wife is deaf and it's difficult to explain the situation to her."

Although Mamoepa said the diplomat would work in the department in Pretoria, the man apparently told a colleague in London that the time had arrived for him "to start making serious money".

- Beeld