*From: *"jbminto" <jbminto at xtra.co.nz>
*Reply-To: *"jbminto" <jbminto at xtra.co.nz>
*Date: *Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:08:28 +1300
*To: *"Jim Gladwin" <greenleaf at pl.net>
*Subject: *Response to SA President
Hi Jim,
Can you circulate this around SA contacts?
Regards,
John Minto
------------------------
30 January 2008
Auckland
*_New Zealand
_*
I understand the South African President's office has issued a
statement denying a nomination had been made for myself to receive a
Companion of OR Tambo award.
The nomination was made by South African Sports Minister, Rev
Makhenkesi Stofile, who visited New Zealand late last year with the
South African Netball team for the World Netball Championships in
Auckland.
He spoke about the nomination to me by phone and in person when he
and his wife Nambita came to dinner at our home. Former
anti-apartheid activists Dick and Kitch Cuthbert were present as well.
Rev Stofile said he had put forward a nomination for me to receive
the award on behalf of all the New Zealanders who has been active in
the struggle against apartheid. He said it had gone to a committee
of three ministers (he mentioned their names) who would make the
final decision.
I said I was uncomfortable at the nomination but because it was on
behalf of the wider anti-apartheid movement I would think about it.
I consulted quite widely here and as a result sent the "Open letter
to the SA President" earlier this week.
The South African President's office appear to be trying to fudge
the issue. The statement from their office seems to be an attempt to
fudge the issue and is at best misleading.
It is standard procedure for governments to check whether an award
will be accepted before any public announcements are made. It may be
that the nomination was withdrawn on the basis of my initial reaction.
John Minto
Phone 0064 9 8463173
Fax: 0064 9 8463 176