POLITICS
No response from Mike Masutha to our memo - PAC
Kenneth Mokgatlhe |
26 May 2015
Release of Political Prisoners
On the 24th of April 2015, the PAC staged a national march to demand immediate release of the former APLA cadres who are still held in South African prisons as prisoners of wars against apartheid, a system which was declared unjust and crime against humanity by the international community.
Our memorandum which is self-explanatory was handed to the ministry of justice and constitutional development [Michael Masutha] and we are confident that it reached the minister’s office.
We are saddened that up to now, we have received no response, let alone communication from the minister concern.
We doubt if the minister is honest about the issues raised in our memo, because it has been the first time since April that we read about his reactions in the City Press dated 22nd May 2015.
What concerns us in is his statement, is that what the minister is raising has never been communicated to the PAC. We regard his actions as if he is just misleading the public and creating false impression that the government is doing something about the plight of these prisoners of war.
Our main demand has always been immediate release of former APLA cadres, granting of parole and presidential pardon to those who qualify as well as the expungement of criminal records to those who have already finished their sentences.
We did not expect the minister to be selective in dealing with these demands as it is reported in the City Press of 22nd May 2015, that he is actually fast-tracking parole processes only for those who are still incarcerated.
We can safely say that the minister is playing hide and seek about this demands and we are saddened by his actions, he should come clean and take the PAC on board in dealing with this issue.
Statement issued by Kenneth Mokgatlhe, PAC Spokesperson, May 26 2015
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