Political parties have condemned the African National Congress council in Beaufort-West’s decision to reinstate the municipal manager, Truman Prince.
Prince, a former mayor of Beaufort-West, was recently implicated in a television documentary on child prostitution.
On Wednesday, Democratic Alliance spokesperson on corruption Robin Carlisle said Prince had demonstrated he was totally unfit to hold any public office ”long before the notorious incident recorded on television”.
All South Africans would see Prince’s reinstatement as disgraceful and unacceptable. They would ask where the ANC ”finds these men who abuse high positions and the people’s trust” such as Prince, Carlisle said.
”With even more concern they will ask why the ANC always protects such people. There can be no doubt that there is one standard and one law for the ANC and a totally different standard and law for the rest of us.”
”It appears to be one form of justice for Mr Prince and another for impoverished girls in Beaufort-West. All decent folk will reflect on this contrast as Mr Prince returns to his R600 000 a year job,” Carlisle said.
In a separate statement, United Democratic Movement deputy leader Malizole Diko said the move amounted to a ”backdoor acquittal in return for a light slap on the wrist”.
”With this decision the ANC council has made a mockery of every claim by the ANC that they are committed to protecting the rights of women and children. This ridiculous decision exposes a shocking lack of commitment to the fight against child abuse and sexual exploitation,” he said.
If the ANC government wanted to salvage any credibility from this debacle, it should immediately intervene from provincial and national government level to ensure Prince was properly investigated and disciplined for his actions, he added.
”In the meanwhile this deplorable decision is creating two disturbing precedents — firstly, that the ANC will always protect their own office-bearers no matter how heinous or depraved their behaviour may be; in essence that democracy, good governance and justice will be suspended when it comes to ANC office-bearers.”
”Secondly, a precedent is being set for the abusers of children, because surely they must now think that if a leading local leader can get away so lightly, then they too can perpetrate their heinous crimes with impunity,” Diko said. — Sapa – AFP