The IFP is concerned with the sharp rise in crimes committed by repeat offenders who have been released by the Department of Correctional Services.
This is evidenced by the most recent serious and high-profile crimes committed by these parolees.
This week the uMlazi Magistrates Court sentenced a man to 15 years in jail, following his arrest by police. He terrorised his victims and compelled them to pay huge sums of money by means of e-wallet, and other types of transactions. He posed as a hired hitman tasked with killing the victims, and then demanded money to cancel the killings.
Another suspect - alleged to have killed two kwaMbonambi women - appeared shortly at eMpangeni Magistrates Court. He has also been identified as a repeat offender who was released on parole.
The IFP stance on this matter is clear: parole and probation are a privilege ONLY for deserving offenders. We have expressed concern about the checks and the balances in place when granting offenders parole.
This not only jeopardises the hard work of the police but is also a total waste of state money, and increases fear in our communities. It is further a slap in the face of families who were affected by crimes that led to the offenders’ arrests and also a slap in the face of a society already saturated with uncontrollably high levels of crime.
We urge the Department of Community Safety and Liaison to work with the Department of Justice and Correctional Services to scrutinise offenders, and grant parole without fear or favour, only to deserving and low-risk offenders.
We also appeal to the parolees’ supervisors to closely monitor the behavioural patterns of the offenders, so as to pick up if the rehabilitation programme is not yielding the desired outcomes.
We urge them to tighten their monitoring and observation system to ensure that they stop further transgressions committed by parolees well in advance.
Ends.
Contact:
Mr Blessed Gwala
IFP Spokesperson for Community Safety and Liaison in KwaZulu-Natal Legislature
078 290 5842
