Allan Boesak, the liberation cleric and founder member of the United Democratic Front jailed for fraud and theft of donor money in 2000, did not qualify for a presidential pardon, according to the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development.
This is the latest twist in a week that saw Boesak accusing the African National Congress of betraying him and declining an award recognising his role as a UDF founder member. He also refused to participate in the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the UDF’s launch in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain.
Although President Thabo Mbeki is yet to make a decision on Boesak’s presidential pardon, justice ministry spokesperson Paul Setsetse confirmed the ministry had recommended the application be turned down.
”In his application he [Boesak] did not acknowledge the commission of an offence. This is one of the key requirements,” Setsetse told the Mail & Guardian. ”There was a motivation … but the question then is on what basis are you asking for a presidential pardon.”
Boesak this week said the ANC had ”ostracised, ignored and discarded” him after he was jailed over the disappearance of overseas money from his Foundation for Peace and Justice, even though the party knew it was not used for his personal gain but to support UDF and underground activists.
While he had chosen not to take the stand in his own defence as to do so might have implicated leading ANC and government figures, the party had failed to honour its commitment to accept collective responsibility for the way the money was handled, he said.
Boesak was sentenced to three years in jail, but was released on parole after one year. A question mark has hung over his future since.
Boesak was not at Wednesday’s memorial service at St George’s Cathedral, a safe-haven for anti-apartheid activists during the Eighties, where several speakers paid tribute to his contribution.
The Western Cape ANC has refused to be drawn into a public spat. But ANC national spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama said Boesak’s accusations were ”rather unfortunate”.
”It is a sad turn of events that today, the ANC is being accused of taking the high road when one of its most dedicated cadres was languishing in jail,” Ngonyama said.