Political parties demand presidential pardon for political prisoners

A number of political parties say they are disturbed by the delay in granting their incarcerated members presidential pardon and parole. They claim scores of political prisoners are still languishing in jails across the country for crimes committed during the apartheid era.

Most of them are Azanian People’s Liberation Army (APLA)  cadres and members of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and Azanian People’s Organisation (Azapo).

The parties claim that some have applied for presidential pardon and others are hopeful that the Correctional Services Board will consider them for parole.

IFP national chairperson, Albert Mncwango has urged government to act with speed.

“We are really frustrated as the IFP about this unwarranted delay on the part of the President to give those political prisoners that are still languishing in jail, 25 years after our liberation. As the IFP we had a long list of such  people about 400 of them. Up to this point nothing has actually been done.”

Pan Africanist Congress of Azania’s deputy president Mzwanele Nyhontso says they are running out of patience and want the release of all political prisoners.

“We do not need a presidential pardon, we need them to be released  in a true liberated area .We cannot have political prisoners  still languishing in jail , so we are still making the call that they must release APLA cadres in jail , in fact these are the characteristics  that are still languishing in jail , so we are still making a call that they must release APLA cadres in jail , in fact these are the characteristics of a republic that has gone Bananas, it shows that this country is not liberated.”

Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha says they have restarted the process after it was successfully challenged in the Constitutional Court.

“We have restarted the process over the past few years and culminating to the current president, now considering the matter afresh, so until the president makes an indication of how he want to proceed with the matter, I think that is as far as I can give.”