Issued by the Office of the Premier, Mpumalanga Provincial Government, Nelspruit
I have noted the contents of the statement from Judge Willem Heath's office regarding Finance MEC Jacques Modipane and the promissory notes.
We also note Justice Heath's reluctance to pronounce -in terms that are not vague - Mr Modipane's innocence.
We also take exception to the phrase "Mr Modipane alleged that a misrepresentation was made to him as to the contents of the document and that he signed it on the basis of such misrepresentation".
This creates the impression that Mr Modipane admitted to signing the document (promissory) notes, This is a deliberate distortion of facts and at no stage did Mr Modipane and/or his lawyers utter these words or words to such effect.
For more than a year Mr Modipane 's integrity - and that of the African National Congress has been questioned in a manner most unkind.
In recent months my integrity was wrongly questioned. Mr Modipane and I were wrongly accused, judged, found guilty, sentenced and hanged.
We trust that those people who acted as judge and executioner will publicly apologise to Mr Modipane and all others concerned.
I wish to state that I knew all along that Mr Modipane was innocent. The evidence before me and the African National Congress - which was passed on to Mr Heath last year-suggest, in a very plain manner, Mr Modipane's innocence.
The signature on the back of the promissory note is indeed Mr Modipane's. That has never been in contention. What was in contention was how the signature got there.
We would also like to know how an oath can be deposited in Sandton in Mr Modipane's absence.
These are questions that need to be answered.
However, to us the case is not closed because there are a number of issues that still remain unresolved:
We call upon the Minister of Justice Dr Pennuell Maduna and Safety and Security Minister Mr Steve Tshwete to step in and resolve the matter.
As for us we are happy that at last we have been vindicated.
03 August 1999