KwaZulu-Natal arts, culture and tourism provincial minister Narend Singh resigned on Tuesday amid a scandal over a DVD allegedly depicting sex between him and a married Durban socialite.
”Continued negative exposure in the media in recent days has put me under a strain that in my opinion goes beyond the call of duty,” he said at a media briefing in Durban on Tuesday afternoon.
”It is causing great distress to my family … In fairness to them — and to myself — I have consequently decided to step down from government office.”
He was threatened the DVD would be distributed if he did not withdraw from politics, ahead of the March 1 local government elections.
Singh said he was not prepared to ”sacrifice the pride and dignity of my family at the altar of blackmail and political backstabbing”.
The recording was pushed into KwaZulu-Natal residents’ post boxes, handed out at some taxi ranks and exchanged among pupils at some high schools.
It reportedly showed Singh and Rosanne Narandas kissing, fondling and drinking liquor before having sex at Durban’s Elangeni Hotel. Denying that she used a hidden spy camera to film the episode, Narandas instead claimed she was framed.
Singh refused to comment on the DVD and its contents on Tuesday, saying the matter was still under investigation by the police for possible criminality. He also refused to take any questions from the media.
”This is partly because the investigation is still under way, partly because — as I have maintained all along — my right to privacy precludes such questioning.”
Police were investigating a case of crimen injuria, South African Broadcasting Corporation news reported on Tuesday night.
Criticising the media for making public the contents of the DVD, Singh said: ”… in some media outlets — and I emphasise, only some — an instinct for sensationalism appears to have taken over”.
He thanked his family for their support and said he had received many messages of support from various people.
”I might add that I am aware some of these messages were poisoned chalices.”
He did not say what his immediate plans were, but stressed that he would continue to serve the community.
Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi said he respected and accepted Singh’s resignation.
”Minister Narend Singh’s decision to stand down from public life is a typical example of his selflessness and dedication to his country and party,” he said.
”The IFP believes this was a personal decision for Mr Singh and his wife to make alone.”
He praised Singh for being an ”exemplary public servant and a pillar of the IFP” and hoped he would ”continue to make his considerable talents available to his party and country”.
On Monday KwaZulu-Natal premier, S’bu Ndebele, granted Singh 10 days leave during which the recording and distribution of the DVD would have been investigated.
It was sad that as energetic a politician as Singh had to vacate his office under ”such a thick cloud of controversy,” said KwaZulu-Natal ANC spokesperson Mtholephi Mthimkhulu.
He had done a ”sterling job” in the provincial government and his undertaking to continue serving the community was a consolation as the government alone could not do the job, he said. – Sapa