BBC News | Despatches | Botha's legal aid row

BBC News Online: Despatches

Botha's legal aid row

Friday, January 9, 1998 Published at 08:54 GMT

image: [ BBC Correspondent: Jeremy Vine ]

Botha's legal aid row
A row has broken out in South Africa over the payment of legal aid to the former President, P.W.Botha. It's emerged that he's been granted legal fees to be paid by the government at a substantially higher rate than that given to other witnesses appearing before South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The arrangement was made after President Mandela decided the Commission guidelines could be waived in Mr Botha's case. But as our Southern Africa correspondent Jeremy Vine reports, the news has caused an angry reaction;

The way Mr Botha is being treated is acutely sensitive. The authorities have been desperate to make sure they do not appear to be soft on him, nor vindictive.

It's now emerged that Mr Mandela personally tried to persuade Mr Botha to testify before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and authorised substantial amounts in legal aid to help him do so. The news has caused fury in some quarters with one party, the Pan Africanist Congress, saying it is disgraceful that Mr Botha's treatment looks more generous than that accorded to the victims of human rights abuses during his time in office.

A senior lawyer said it was not sensitive to the new South Africa. But it shows just how desperate Mr Mandela has been to avoid what is now happening.

Having refused to answer the Commission's questions Mr Botha will now be prosecuted in an ordinary court of law.

Summaries

In this section

Indonesian opposition call
Resuce works goes on after earthquake in China
Afghan women's protest in Pakistan
South Koreans chip in to help economy
Huge fire at Indian oil refinary
Mongolia's Aids fears
Gul states shocked by telephone chat lines