Modise not threatened by AfriForum’s decision to prosecute her
Parliament says NCOP Chairperson Thandi Modise will study court papers by AfriForum accusing her of animal cruelty, as and when they are presented. It says at this stage Modise will not entertain any threats made by the NGO in the media.
This after AfriForum announced that it will pursue a private prosecution against Modise, following the reported discovery that scores of animals had starved to death on her farm in the North West in 2014.
In a statement, Parliament says it’s important to note that the NPA abandoned its case citing absence of prospects for successful prosecution. It says this is because Modise had delegated people she trusted to look after the farm while she was away fulfilling her Parliamentary duties in Cape Town as NCOP chairperson.
Spokesperson Moloto Mothapo says Modise respects the rule of law and the principle of equality before the law but she regards the motives by AfriForum as curious.
Mothapo says the threat to privately prosecute Modise are suspicious as they coincide with the Parliamentary process on land expropriation without compensation.
He says this is meant to exploit the incident to advance what he calls a narrow narrative of failure of black farming.