30 September 2009

The Inkatha Freedom Party has expressed its disappointment with the Constitutional Court judgement today which ruled that the IFP should have taken legal action against the President of the Republic and not against the Minister of Justice, in the matter of Chonco and 383 other prisoners who applied for presidential pardons almost six years ago.

"This has been a lengthy and painful battle to have the constitutional rights of these 384 political prisoners recognised and again we have now been instructed to start this entire process again. The system has once again failed these prisoners," said Koos van der Merwe, the IFP Chief Whip and spokesperson on Justice.

Van der Merwe added: "The IFP believes that today's ruling is a disgrace because it effectively means that the Minister of Justice will not be held responsible for the violation of the human rights of these prisoners, while the Ministry of Justice gets away with wasting millions in taxpayers' money because the Ministry has been ordered to pay the costs," said van der Merwe.

The Constitutional Court ruled that while the Minister of Justice was tasked with doing preparation work for the President, it was the President's responsibility to consider presidential pardons and the IFP should therefore have taken legal action against the President and not the Minister of Justice.

"The IFP's struggle for justice and human rights continues and we have today instructed our senior counsel to immediately commence legal action against the President. We will not give up this fight until justice prevails," concluded van der Merwe.

Contact:
Koos van der Merwe,            082 444 4944 or
Liezl van der Merwe,             083 611 7470.