Issued by: SA Communication Service
PRESS STATEMENT
THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE AFFAIRS OF THE
Soon after the official inquiry by the Office for Serious Economic Offences into the affairs of the Foundation for Peace and Justice was instituted on 10th February 1995, this office committed itself to conclude the investigation by the end of November 1995. Up to now the investigation has entailed the taking of the oral evidence of 88 witnesses, the transcriptions of which comprise of approximately 5 000 pages. Of these witnesses 34 are resident abroad. Over and above this, written statements were obtained from other witnesses. Furthermore a forensic accounting investigation was completed and a detailed report submitted.
Dr Boesak was the director of the abovementioned organisation, was thus one of the key figures involved in the activities thereof and most of the publicity given to this matter revolved around him.
In August 1995 the investigation team departed on the overseas leg of the investigation. Shortly thereafter Dr Boesak, accompanied by his wife and child, left for the United States of America.
At that stage he and Mrs Boesak had not been interviewed by the investigation team, as the various representatives of the donor organisations had to be consulted first in order to establish the background against which the grants and the utilisation of funds should be viewed.
Towards the end of October an invitation was extended to Dr and Mrs Boesak to meet with the investigation team and to give their versions in relation to the activities of the Foundation. Negotiations ensued and resulted in an agreement that this meeting will take place in the foreseeable future. In order not to infringe the Boesaks' right to privacy unnecessarily, this office will not disclose the date and place of the meeting. This meeting is deemed both important and necessary.
In view of this development it is not possible to conclude the investigation and to submit the report thereanent, to the Minister of Justice by the end of November.
The questioning of Dr and Mrs Boesak may very well reveal aspects which will have to be followed up. It is therefore now envisaged that the report will finally be submitted to the Minister in January 1996.
DIRECTOR: OFFICE FOR SERIOUS ECONOMIC OFFENCES
29 November 1995