Ex-Premier Can Return, He Says : Transkei’s New Military Leader Lifts Martial Law

The military leader who seized power in the nominally independent black homeland of Transkei lifted martial law Thursday and said that the prime minister whom he deposed for alleged corruption was free to return home.

“This is her country,” Maj. Gen. Bantu Holomisa, 32, told reporters a day after leading Wednesday’s bloodless coup that toppled Prime Minister Stella Sigcau 86 days after she took office. Her predecessor had also been ousted by army intervention.

Holomisa told a news conference that he had “convincing documentary proof” that Sigcau had received large sums of money for ensuring that gambling rights were granted to casino owners.

Decision Pending

He said that she was “on leave” and that nothing would happen to her if she returned to Transkei. But the general said that the police and attorney general would have to decide whether criminal prosecutions should follow the accusations of corruption among senior members of the past two Transkeian governments.

Sigcau, 50, was reported to be in Peitermaritzburg, the capital of South Africa’s Natal province. She has issued no public response to the coup or to Holomisa’s allegations.

Transkei, designated as independent by South Africa but not recognized as a separate state by other countries, has casinos at several South African-owned resorts along its Indian Ocean coast.

In announcing the coup Wednesday, Holomisa declared martial law, suspended the constitution and outlawed political activity. He said that he would rule as head of a military council pending arrangements for the restoration of civilian rule, but he did not say when that would be.

Cabinet Resignations

Sigcau took office Oct. 5, two weeks after Holomisa and his troops intervened to oust Prime Minister George Matanzima and forced eight of his Cabinet ministers to resign.

At that time, “it was not apparent that other ministers were also involved in bribery and corruption,” Holomisa said Thursday. He referred specifically to Sigcau, who had been minister of posts and telecommunications in the earlier government.

The general said the army decided to stage the coup “to rectify the state of affairs for good and all.” He described the army as “a crusader against the exploitation of the country’s resources by unscrupulous persons.”

‘Electorate Will Decide’

Holomisa said that he remained friends with Matanzima and his brother, Kaiser, Transkei’s first ruler after independence in 1976.

“The electorate will decide on their political future,” Holomisa said. But he then added that it would be “unwise” for them to return to power. “Those tainted by bribery and corruption cannot resume public office at this stage.”

In early October, an inquiry commission financed by South Africa accused George Matanzima of involvement in widespread corruption that had cost the debt-ridden homeland millions of dollars. Its report was issued the week before Sigcau took office with a pledge to end corruption and nepotism.