Question NW1711 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

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09 December 2019 - NW1711

Profile picture: Chirwa, Ms NN

Chirwa, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

Whether he (a) has engaged the President to pardon Fees Must Fall activist, Mr Khanya Cekeshe; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what is the status of the process of pardoning Mr Khanya Cekeshe?

Reply:

No, in order to properly advise the President regarding a possible pardon in Mr Cekeshe’s case, a thorough and comprehensive evaluation is necessary to ensure that the President makes a rational decision with all relevant facts considered. Mr Cekeshe, like any other Fees Must Fall activists, was informed of the process he is required to follow to apply and submit a request for pardon.

Mr Cekeshe has chosen to exercise his legal right to appeal his conviction. This effectively means, he and his legal team believe that a different court could arrive at different conclusion. In other words, he believes that a different court could overturn his conviction. As such it is impermissible for one to engage in the process which speak to pardons. In order for one to invoke a pardon one must have completed the court process, a judicial process cannot run along aside the pardon process.

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