17 January 1995
The SACP fully supports ANC MP, Johnny de Lange, chairperson in the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, in his insistence that prominent members of the former government should be called before the committee. We absolutely agree that FW De Klerk, Kobie Coetsee and Pik Botha need to explain why the former government thought it could secretly award amnesty to some three and half thousand politicians and security force personnel.
We are less than impressed by NP spokesperson Marthinus van Schalkwyk's attempt this morning to camouflage his party embarrassment by claiming that De Lange is "a prominent SACP leader". We would be very happy to number DE Lange among our party members. for the record , however, comrade de Lange is not and has never been an SACP member. Van Schalkwyk should focus on the issue to hand, and stop trying to create red herrings.
Perhaps Van Schalkwyk should himself now be asked to appear before the Standing Committee to explain from which dirty tricks department he gets his disinformation on ANC MPs.
Signed:
Jeremy Cronin
SACP, spokesperson