Cape Argus forces department to finally release conditions

Tony Yengeni can't have a beer until September 23 next year. Nor can he go to any restaurant where alcohol is served.

If there is any suspicion he has been drinking, he will be subjected to a blood test. If he refuses to undergo the test, he will be deemed to have violated his correctional supervision.

These drinking bans on the former ANC chief whip are part of the convicted fraudster's parole conditions, which were revealed yesterday.

Contacted yesterday by The Star's sister paper, the Cape Argus, for comment on this, Yengeni asked: "Are those my conditions?"

When the paper offered to fax him a copy of the document, he replied: "Don't bother."

It was put to him that he had been reportedly been seen at a number of restaurants, including the licensed Beluga, in Green Point.

Asked if he had any comment, he said "I don't talk to the media" and then hung up.

After months of stubbornly refusing to release details of Yengeni's correctional supervision, the government relented in the face of possible High Court action by the Cape Argus.

Late on Monday afternoon, after earlier missing a noon deadline to supply the information or face court action under the Promotion of Access to Information Act, an apologetic department faxed through the details.

Yengeni was sentenced to four years in jail for fraud and forgery on March 19 2003, and was released on bail the same day on appeal. He went back to jail on August 24 last year after his appeal failed.

Yengeni received an amnesty of 18 months and a three-month special remission of sentence, the reasons for which were not given in the fax.

He was released on January 13 this year after having served one-sixth of the jail term.

With acknowledgements to John Yeld, Murray Williams and The Star.