WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2008-10-31 Time: 07:00:07 Posted By: Jan
By Ella Smook
The ANC must ask its president, Jacob Zuma, to stand down from public office until there is clarity about the charges he is facing, TRC vice-chairperson Alex Boraine says.
And President Kgalema Motlanthe had, “as a matter of extreme urgency”, to institute a judicial inquiry into the arms deal, Boraine said on Wednesday.
If the Truth and Reconciliation Commission had had to meet today, these would be the first two recommendations it would make.
“We are going into a period of elections, and the statesman-like thing for Jacob Zuma to do, of his own volition, but if not, then by his party, is to stand back from the highest office in the land until found innocent of the charges against him.”
In the case of the arms deal, there were “too many innuendos, rumours, lies and half-truths”. “We will never get to the bottom of all of this, and people may be wrongly charged because of the lack of clarity. Let’s stop the talk, let’s have a judicial commission of inquiry, and let its findings be made public, so we can go forward.”
Boraine was explicit about recommendations a contemporary TRC would make.
He was speaking at an event held as part of a 10th-anniversary conference that is reflecting on and debating the recommendations of the TRC.
A further recommendation of a contemporary TRC would be for the president to call a national conference on crime, Boraine said.
“It’s time we stopped hearing statements about a slight improvement here and a slight decrease in crime there … the incidence of rape and the assault on children is unacceptable in our democratic South Africa. It is time we put the spotlight on that, so we can address it efficiently.”
Boraine also called on the government to reaffirm its commitment to the freedom of the press.
“It is extremely worrying that time and time again something drastic happens, and a government spokesperson says it’s the media blowing it up.”
It was good that the government acknowledged the criminal justice system was “a mess”, but there was a worrying delay in the cases of high-profile people facing serious charges.
“How long has (national Police Commissioner Jackie) Selebi been (on special leave) pending a trial? How much longer are we going to wait before we know where we are? The same with Jacob Zuma.”
The contemporary TRC would also demand an amendment to the electoral act so constituency-based elections could take place again.
“At this time when new parties are being considered, we ought to … make it absolutely clear that they are completely committed to the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law. Without that, our future is at risk,” Boraine said.