Cabinet unhappy at Hogan's Dalai Lama remarks

March 26th, 2009

 

Johannesburg (South Africa) — Heath Minister Barbara Hogan had stepped out of line in criticising the government's official position on a visit to SA by the Dalai Lama and this would have to be dealt with, government spokesman Themba Maseko said yesterday.

He said the minister's comments that the government ought to apologise to the country for its decision on the Dalai Lama were "unfortunate" as it was an official decision taken by the Cabinet, of which Hogan was a member.

It was unfortunate, Maseko said, that Hogan had decided to make her statement of opposition on a public platform, to openly attack a decision of the government.

The question of how ministers conducted themselves in instances where they did not agree with the government was "something that will have to be addressed in the near future by this government", Maseko said. "If the president decides to take further steps, I am sure he will make that announcement at some stage.

"Certainly (this) is not the way government functions," Maseko said .

Hogan's public statement was the first time the government had heard her views, which had not been raised during the Cabinet discussion, Maseko said .

He reiterated the government's view that it was not in the best interests of SA for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, and other sporting events, to be used as a platform to advance political causes. It was also decided not to jeopardise SA's bilateral relations with China.

Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma would make a statement on the matter, Maseko said.

The Human Rights Commission, in a letter to President Kgalema Motlanthe, urged him to "act swiftly to redress this situation and ensure SA's reputation as a moral and human rights leader is restored".

The University of the Witwatersrand yesterday echoed Hogan's statement, calling on the government to apologise to the nation for its oversight. "It is a betrayal of everything that we, as South Africans, fought against during the apartheid regime and a gross violation of the values we espouse as a nation," the university said.

The Dalai Lama was due to deliver a public lecture at the university on Saturday. The peace conference was to have been held tomorrow.

 

Source.Business Day (South Africa)-