Island dispute 'not our problem'
2006-01-13 12:37
Cape Town - The decision to banish a woman and her two young children from Robben Island had absolutely nothing to do with Public Works, the department said on Friday.
Its statement comes after Robben Island chief executive Paul Langa said earlier this week the dispute over the banishment was out of his hands and was being dealt with by Portnet and the department.
Department (DPW) spokesperson Thami Ngidi said it had been claimed in media reports that the nine-year-old son of a National Ports Authority (NPA) employee assaulted the daughter of a department employee working on Robben Island.
"It is further alleged that as a result the NPA employee's family was banished from the World Heritage site which is maintained by the DPW.
"We must place on record that the eviction of the boy's family has nothing at all to do with the DPW.
"In the first instance the evicted family doesn't work for us. DPW does not, as a rule, have general jurisdiction over the activities of those who may find themselves for one or other reason on Robben Island.
"Our only responsibility is to manage our own employees while they work on the island. We wish to emphasise that it is not in our jurisdiction to manage access to Robben Island."
The NPA employee and his wife, whose names are being withheld to protect their son, say they will apply for a court order against the Robben Island Museum authorities over the banishment.
- SAPA