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Last month, the Western Cape police oversight and community safety revealed that 3,159 prisoners were granted “special remission” parole.

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) set free these thousands of offenders, many of whom were imprisoned for housebreaking, theft, assault, and drug-related crimes.

Now there are calls for the DCS to be more transparent about the profile of prisoners granted parole.

The Western Cape DCS spokesperson Candice van Reenen said the over 3,000 prisoners released on special remission were involved in various types of crime, but these did not include sexual offences, murder and attempted murder, sedition, high treason, sabotage, terrorism and offenders declared to be dangerous criminals in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act.

She clarified that the types of crimes committed by the parolees re-arrested, following their benefit from the special remission 2023, include housebreaking and theft, assault, drug-related crimes, traffic offences, possession of stolen goods and family violence.

Okay, cool. No problem.

Image: Know Your Meme

Police oversight and community safety revealed that of those released, 760 were granted parole between August and November as a result of the “Special Remission of Sentence”. Of these parolees, about half (383) are reporting to SAPS stations, where Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers are deployed.

“However, it must also be noted that although the special remission parolee may have been re-arrested, they must still stand trial to determine whether they are guilty of the newly-registered matter or not. DCS continues to work with all stakeholders to ensure that all people in South Africa are and feel safe.”

They further said it had been reported by the police that by November 20 last year, 113 parolees had re-offended, and been rearrested. Among others, they were arrested for assault, theft, attempted murder, possession of a firearm and possession of a dangerous weapon.

So criminal behaviour does escalate and parolees can become more extreme?

Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen called on the DCS to be more transparent:

“SAPS and DCS should also inform the communities where these parolees have been released (about) who they are (and) the crimes they have committed, while encouraging [the community] to report any transgressions,” he said.

Meanwhile, the police in the Western Cape are probing yet another mass shooting incident in Nyanga that took place on Sunday evening where four people are confirmed to have died.

Prison rights activist Golden Miles Bhudu of the SA Prisoners Association for Human Rights advocates for more work in prison rehabilitation.

“Some programmes post-1994 attempt to break the cycle by providing prisoners with education, training and skills development, so one gets the famous word rehabilitation, that would turn them into responsible and productive and law-abiding citizens, helping to find jobs.

Many Saffas may have come to understand that our prison system creates more cunning and dangerous criminals, as they are rife with gangs who manipulate and train their brood.

“There was money set aside for education, etc. What happened? Unskilled prisoners are sent into the market. Their only alternative is the temptation of drugs, dealing in drugs, bank robberies, GBV, cash-in-transit (robberies), hacking and fraud.”

Bhudu said they have been calling on DCS since (former correctional services minister Ngconde) Balfour’s time, and now (current Minister Ronald) Lamola, and the labour department and social development, to establish corporates for prisoners who want to start their own companies, so that prisoners can be better supported.

“With the government and private sector, they could manufacture wooden and steel furniture, for example, for schools or government departments, making shoes, crafts and clothing.”

“Jobs such as bread making, or food production, or carpentry, or motor mechanics, hairdressing or plumbing should be offered to ex-offenders.”

In the meantime, criminals will be criminals.

[source:iol]