|
Leave Us Alone, Begs Mrs Shaik |
| Publication |
Sunday Independent |
| Date | 2009-03-15 |
| Reporter | Niyanta Singh |
|
Web Link |
Zulheikha Shaik, wife of Schabir, wants her family to be left alone.
"We are angry. He is gravely ill and we just want to be left alone. We want our
privacy and dignity back," she said in an exclusive interview this week.
Zulheikha, who is caring for her husband since his parole, is a shy woman and
the constant media hype surrounding her husband has been harsh on her.
Now all she wants is for her family to live in peace - she wants her husband to
enjoy their son, who turns three in April and who was just a six-month-old baby
when Shaik was sent to prison.
She said Shaik has virtually missed out on their son as a baby.
"He hasn't done anything to anyone. He hasn't harmed anyone. He hasn't robbed
anyone and neither has he murdered anyone," said Zulheikha.
Her brother, Yusuf Vahed, CEO of the Kingsgate Clothing Group, took up the
interview.
He was fiercely protective of his sister and said he was managing Shaik's
affairs in KwaZulu-Natal.
Vahed was highly critical of the media and their constant pressure on the Shaiks
since his arrest.
"As a family, we would not like anyone to endure what we have been through over
the past few years. It is an ordeal that words cannot adequately describe," said
Vahed.
He said this had been a traumatic period and a huge strain on the family.
"All that we ask is for our privacy to be respected and that we be given time
and space to get on with our lives. There are other, more serious issues that
unfold daily, and heinous crimes that have been committed, which deserve more
attention than just looking to find something that is not in Shaik's closet. Why
can't they just let him and our family be?" asked Vahed.
He said the media had been perverse, shameful,
unethical and shocking in their conduct.
"Perverse because here we have someone who is gravely ill and it seems that the
media will only be satisfied with his immediate death to prove his innocence. We
find this logic to be sadistic," said Vahed.
He said the media made calculated attempts to
harass and embarrass the family.
"We have learned of attempts to offer financial inducements to neighbours to
secure a vantage point for photographs and even to solicit information from the
security personnel on duty.
Even helicopters were hired, which flew past the property on three occasions
under the pretext of photographing the new football stadium, in an attempt to
obtain aerial photographs.
This is despicable behaviour and reveals
the extraordinary lengths certain members of the media will go to in order to
develop a story, in total disregard for my sister's and the family's feelings
and their rights to privacy," said Vahed.
He said there appeared to be a conscious attempt to manufacture events that
simply did not exist.
"In post-apartheid South Africa, prisoners and parolees have rights, like anyone
else, that are enshrined in the constitution. The premise seems to be that
something wrong has been done.
"Contrary to what is being suggested, we cannot and do not influence the actions
of professionals as they have their own integrities to protect and would no
doubt have been aware that their decisions would be scrutinised," he said.
"Where were all the small minority-represented political parties when the
notorious lion killer, Mark Crossley, was
paroled? *1 Why were there no calls from these parties and the Human
Rights Commission for his parole to be reviewed?
"It suggests to us that the focus and attack on Schabir Shaik is for a "bigger"
reason or rather a hidden agenda, one with undertones of
a political conspiracy that is becoming more
evident by the day *2," he said.
Vahed further questioned why newspapers were not reporting on other prisoners
who were paroled for similar reasons.
He said virtually every complaint or question with regard to the basis of
Shaik's parole emerged from speculation that started in the media.
"It is almost as if the media are the mouthpiece
and advocate of those who feel disgruntled by Shaik's parole *3. This is
hardly indicative of an independent media.
"The focus also appears to have been the spinning of sensational and
accusatorial articles addressing everything but the position of those who are
directly affected.
"This cannot be fair or reasonable in any democracy," said Vahed.
niyanta.singh@inl.co.za