SA diplomat arrested in Norway for drunk-driving must be suspended

05 January 2016

The Democratic Alliance is dismayed that a South African diplomat in Oslo, Norway has been arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol, causing a vehicle accident and injuring a person (see here).

It is reported that the diplomat attempted to evade Norwegian police while driving drunk, sped up his diplomatic vehicle and subsequently crashed. This is a gross act of diplomatic recklessness, and criminal conduct on the part of South African diplomats must be strongly condemned.

The DA will today write to DIRCO Minister Nkoana-Mashabane to request that she immediately suspend this diplomat and begin a disciplinary process against him.

It is reported that Norway is seeking the waiver of diplomatic immunity under the Geneva Convention, to try the South African diplomat criminally, and South Africa must equally act against this representative of our country.

It is also alleged that the diplomat has a previous drunk driving allegation against him, and if Ambassador Zondo knew about this history and failed to prevent this latest incident, the ambassador too must be immediately suspended.

The DA will also request that Parliament’s International Relations and Cooperation committee be briefed at the first sitting of 2016 on this criminal matter.

Statement issued by Stevens Mokgalapa MP, DA Shadow Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, 5 January 2016