24 August 2009

The Inkatha Freedom Party will be taking its fight for justice for 384 political prisoners to the Constitutional Court tomorrow, hoping that the matter will finally be resolved six years after applications for presidential pardon were made in terms of the Constitution.

After ignoring the applications for pardon, the former Minister of Justice Brigitte Mabandla was found guilty of human rights violations by the South African Human Rights Commission, who ordered her to finalise the applications within three months - which she simply ignored.

Subsequently, the IFP took the matter to the High Court of South Africa who also made a ruling against Mabandla ordering her to finalise the matter within three months. She ignored the ruling and applied for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal. which was granted. Five judges of the Supreme Court of Appeal unanimoulsy rejected the appeal. Instead of adhering to this judgement, the Minister has now appealed to the Constitutional Court.

In addition, the IFP also laid a complaint against the former President Thabo Mbeki and former Minister Mabandla with Amnesty International.

The IFP's struggle for justice and human rights will be heard by the Constitutional Court tomorrow.

"The IFP believes that the degree of incompetence and arrogance in the Ministry is an international scandal and that the gross violation of the human rights of these prisoners reflects badly on South Africa as a whole," said Koos van der Merwe, the IFP's Chief Whip and Spokesperson on Justice.

Van der Merwe added: "Government's deliberate lack of action is clearly a violation of the spirit of our Constitution and we are therefore confident that the court will rule in our favour tomorrow."

Contact: Koos van der Merwe, 082 444 4944.