IFP MEDIA STATEMENT BY: 
MR KOOS VAN DER MERWE MP
IFP CHIEF WHIP AND JUSTICE  SPOKESPERSON

27 February 2008

The Inkatha Freedom Party's Chief Whip, Mr Koos van der Merwe MP, was today informed by the Public Protector that he has ruled in the IFP's favour, against the Ministry of Justice, for not making presidential pardon forms available in all official languages. 

The failure of this Department to make these forms available promptly has caused a crisis because half of the window period for applications has already lapsed - due to the arrogance of the Department of Justice. 

"The Inkatha Freedom Party laid a complaint with the Public Protector earlier this month, following the Justice Department's refusal to make presidential pardon application forms available in Zulu. The IFP believed that the Justice Department was AGAIN in serious contravention of the Constitution - this time in respect of language rights - and also AGAIN violating the human rights of prisoners, who wish to apply for pardon," said Mr van der Merwe. 

The Public Protector informed the IFP today that they had met with the Director General of the Department and that forms will be made available in all official languages within the next weeks. 

"This is not only a victory for the IFP but a victory for our constitutional language rights; our democracy and the protection of human rights in South Africa," said Mr van der Merwe. 

Mr van der Merwe continued: "This is a massive triumph for the IFP and it follows shortly after we won our Pretoria High Court case against the Minister of Justice, ordering her to consider the 384 applications by IFP prisoners within three months. 

"We are overjoyed with our latest victory against the Department but it is extremely sad that we have to continuously resort to institutions such as the Human Rights Commission, the Public Protector and the High Court to force this Department to do their work," concluded Mr van der Merwe.