26 January 2000
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal welcomes the findings of the full Bar Council following the appeal of KwaZulu-Natal Director of Public Prosecutions Mokotedi Mpshe. Last year a 3-member disciplinary committe of the Pretoria Bar Council found him guilty of four counts of misconduct and recommended that he be struck-off the roll. Mpshe has been cleared by the15-member Bar Council on all but one count.
There was an outcry from politicians with dubious motives such as DP demanding that Mpshe be kicked out of public office. At thetime the ANC raised concerns on the call and urged those who were calling for his dismissal to remember that a person is always assumed innocent untill proven guilty.
The ANC therefore wishes to remind all those who wanted Mpshe to be treated as a guilty person who was due for expulsion that an internal hearing is not equivalent to a formal legal proceeding like that of a full Bar Council. Then, we urge all those who went as far as pronouncing Mpshe guilty to publicly apologiseto him because this was an insult which smacked of hidden agendas.
Issued by the ANC KZN Department of Information and Publicity
26 January 2000
Contact ANC Spokesperson Mtholephi Mthimkhulu at 082 702 9729 For further information contact Khulekani Ntshangase at 082 570 5074