Medical Parole Application of Clive Derby-Lewis to be released from Jail: Decision of the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

The SACP welcomes the announcement of the decision by the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services regarding the medical parole of Clive Derby-Lewis this morning in Pretoria.

It is our view that the Minister was not diverted by media reports which have been speculating lies that the recommendations of the medical parole board recommendation that Clive Derby-Lewis could not be turned down. We have listened to the statement of the Minister and we are convinced that Clive Derby-Lewis and his legal team continue to be dishonest to the people of South Africa, and as such cannot be trusted on what they have been alleging that he is a changed man or that he is on his ‘deathbed'.

As the SACP we wish to reiterate our position that there is nothing which will divert us from our stand-point to fight against any form of manipulating of the law towards the release of Clive Derby-Lewis. He should remain in prison, as he remains a danger to the reconciliation projects that our country so desperately yearns for. His release therefore poses a huge potential of sparking racial violence and hatred amongst the people of South Africa. Once more, true reconciliation and forgiveness depends first and foremost at least on full disclosure of the truth as well as remorse, something which is not accepted by Mr Clive Derby-Lewis and his supporters.

This latest attempt by Derby-Lewis to get out of jail through the back door is nothing new, as back as 2011 this is what we wrote about his other ill-fated attempt ‘Mr derby-Lewis in particular has run a consistent media campaign characterised by the worst form of deceit in order to get out of jail as quickly as possible. In this campaign facts about his health have been distorted and relevant circumstances around the assassination concealed from the family and the public. A picture has been painted in the media which, by its crude colouring, will persuade the ordinary citizen that government is unfairly treating him and succumbing to the whims of the SACP, that his course is righteous and that the indisputable wickedness of the SACP and the Hani family has been proven beyond doubt.

The SACP will not succumb to this blackmail and we applaud the Minister for seeing it for what it is: a desperate attempt to get out of jail without taking full responsibility for one's actions. The SACP will settle for nothing less than full disclosure by the two of the full circumstances around the assassination. We are no interested in media gimmicks that Mr Derby Lewis played some years back when he made threats to tell it all. So long as that is not forthcoming we wish the two a good stay where they belong.'

We call upon the relevant authorities to make follow-up on the alleged manipulation of medical records of Mr Clive Derby-Lewis and act accordingly against those who may have contributed to such irregular practice in our institutions. Linked to the above is also for authorities to re-check his conditions to see if he really deserves to be hospitalised instead of being in jail like other prisoners.

We indicated in our statement early this week that to us as the SACP and the Hani family, the matter of the assassination of our late General Secretary comrade Chris Hani is not yet closed, that is until justice is realised, no matter how an individual or a grouping feels emotionally at a particular point in time. Our unchanged stance on this principle is located within the confines of the law, associated regulations and processes.

We have said this before: Reconciliation is not a one-way street to the benefit of the perpetrators like Clive Derby-Lewis only, while the victims like the Hani family and the SACP are unfairly pressed to forgive the injustices that they have suffered. The SACP is appealing to all South Africans to embrace the spirit of true reconciliation through supporting the decision made by the Minister on this matter.

Statement issued by the South African Communist Party, January 30 2015

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