DA continues Shaik campaign
2010-01-15 20:07
Johannesburg - The DA continued to question Schabir Shaik's medical parole saying a report released on Friday detailing his medical condition indicated he was not terminally ill.
"That such a recommendation could be acted upon is nothing less than a farce, given that the legislated purpose of medical parole is to allow a terminally ill prisoner to die a conciliatory death - not to help them to recover [something that terminally ill patients, by definition, cannot do]," Democratic Alliance spokesperson James Selfe said.
This followed a report in the Mail & Guardian that a psychiatrist Dr Abubaker Gangat said Shaik's persistently high blood pressure had "potentially dire consequences for the eyes, kidneys, heart and brain" and that "organ damage to the eyes and kidneys is already present".
Gangat noted that Shaik had Severe Emotional Disorder combined with life-threatening physical disorders.
Shaik's private physician Dr Salim Gaffoor said Shaik had severe resistant hypertension with end organ damage.
His blood pressure remained high and, according to Gaffoor, his blood pressure would not be controlled while in prison.
These were annexed to a report to a Dr Ngenisile Mbanjwa who recommended that Shaik be granted parole to die a dignified death.
Nothing to lose
The DA said the correctional services minister had nothing to lose by sending Shaik's parole for review.
"As we have said all along, if there is nothing to hide, then the minister stands to lose nothing, and stands to gain everything, by sending Shaik's parole to the review board," said Selfe.
"If she is convinced that there was no wrongdoing or political interference, she can demonstrate that by sending the matter on review."
"Should she not do so now, that will say everything we need to know about the circumstances surrounding the granting of medical parole to Shaik."
The party said it was "not implausible" that Shaik was granted a political favour and that it was part of "one massive cover up for Zuma", referring to President Jacob Zuma for whom Shaik allegedly facilitated a bribe from a French arms company.
Zuma's own prosecution, which emanated from Shaik's conviction for fraud and corruption, partially related to the bribe, was dropped last year shortly before he was sworn in on the grounds of interference in the investigation.
Shaik's pardon application is among the more than 300 awaiting a decision by Zuma.
- SAPA