UNITED NATIONS-SOUTH AFRICA: PRESIDENT DEMANDS PROOF

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

JOHANITA LOUW

PRETORIA, Dec 29 1994 (IPS) - PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA HAS ASKED ORGANISATIONS MAKING ACCUSATIONS AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA’S AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE TO THE UNITED NATIONS IN GENEVA TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN PARKS MANKAHLANA SAID THURSDAY MANDELA DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THE ALLEGED MISAPPROPRIATION OF DONOR FUNDS BY DR. ALLAN BOESAK THAN APPEARED IN THE MEDIA.

“CONSEQUENTLY HE CANNOT TAKE ANY DECISION ON DR. BOESAK’S APPOINTMENT AS AMBASSADOR,” HE SAID, ADDING THAT FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER ALFRED NZO HAD NOT BEEN APPROACHED TO PROBE THE ALLEGATIONS.

“IT WILL ONLY HAPPEN ONCE PRESIDENT MANDELA HAS BEEN PROVIDED WITH INFORMATION THAT A MISDEMEANOUR HAS BEEN COMMITTED,” ADDED MANKAHLANA.

BOESAK, AN ANTI-APARTHEID CAMPAIGNER DURING THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE AND A SENIOR MEMBER OF THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE UP HIS NEW DIPLOMATIC POST AT THE END OF JANUARY.

THE PRESIDENTIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOLLOWS REVELATIONS THIS WEEK BY A DANISH AID ORGANISATION THAT BOESAK CONVERTED AID FUNDS FOR PERSONAL USE.

DANCHURCH AID SAID A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION INTO THE FINANCES OF BOESAK’S FOUNDATION FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE INDICATES THAT HE BORROWED AT LEAST 30,000 DOLLARS.

ACCORDING TO A REPORT THURSDAY BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, ABOUT 300,000 DOLLARS — MORE THAN DOUBLE THE DANISH AID TO THE FOUNDATION — WAS USED AS HOME LOANS TO STAFF MEMBERS.

THE FUNDS APPROPRIATED FOR PERSONAL USE WERE EARMARKED FOR PROJECTS AIMED TO IMPROVE LIVING CIRCUMSTANCES OF SOUTH AFRICA’S IMPOVERISHED PEOPLE AND FOR VOTER EDUCATION.

FREDDIE STEENKAMP, A BOOKKEEPER WHO WORKED FOR THE FOUNDATION, THIS WEEK MADE A SWORN STATEMENT TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE CLAIMING THAT BOESAK RECEIVED THE MONEY FROM THE FOUNDATION.

DANCHURCH SPOKESPERSON ELSEBETH KROGH WAS QUOTED IN SOUTH AFRICAN NEWSPAPERS ON THURSDAY THAT HER ORGANISATION WAS CONSIDERING CIVIL AND CRIMINAL ACTION AGAINST BOESAK AS “THE MONEY WAS DONATED BY DANISH TAXPAYERS TO ASSIST POOR PEOPLE”.