Boesak 'ecstatic' at pardon
2005-01-16 08:37
Johannesburg - Allan Boesak, the former anti apartheid activist, said he is overjoyed at the news that he has been granted a presidential pardon, SABC said on Saturday.
According to the report, President Thabo Mbeki announced on Saturday that he was expunging Boesak's criminal record.
Boesak was convicted in 1999 for fraud and theft of donor money and served two of his six years.
Boesak said he has spent the first 10 years of democracy on the side-lines, not being able to participate as he would have liked to. He said all this was now in the past.
Meanwhile, the justice ministry has declined to comment on the presidential pardon granted.
The justice ministry said their job was only to check if the application complied with requirements.
Penuell Maduna, the former justice minister, recommended that Boesak not be pardoned.
The official opposition said they would request copies of Boesak's pardon from the justice ministry.
Sheila Camerer, the Democratic Alliance (DA) justice spokesperson, said Boesak stole money which belonged to the poor.
- SAPA