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Correctional Services Head Warns Guardians Over Neglect of Parolee Support

Ricardo Teixeira — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 12:47:50 +0000

The National Commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), Mr Makgothi Thobakgale, has voiced concern about guardians failing to fulfil their responsibilities towards parolees. His warning followed an unannounced monitoring operation in Mamelodi, Gauteng, on Friday night, 22 August 2025.

Commissioner Thobakgale emphasised that successful reintegration depends heavily on the oversight of guardians, urging both families and communities to take a more active role in ensuring compliance with parole conditions.

“Guardians play a crucial role in helping parolees reintegrate successfully. They are expected to provide consistent guidance and ensure adherence to parole conditions. Unfortunately, some parents become overly defensive when violations occur, while others are unaware of the parolees’ whereabouts or allow them out at night, contrary to their restrictions. Community members must also step in and report violations,” he said.

The Mamelodi operation formed part of a nationwide monitoring campaign focusing on parolees convicted of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF). Conducted under the Women’s Month programme, the initiative seeks to curb reoffending.

“We focused on Mamelodi due to the high GBVF-related parole caseload. It is critical to ensure that these individuals do not reoffend,” Thobakgale explained.

The joint operation, carried out with the Emergency Support Team (EST), South African Police Service (SAPS), and Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens, involved visits to 44 parolees’ homes.

As a result, Community Corrections officials were instructed to re-educate guardians on their duties, with the possibility of appointing alternative guardians where necessary. Parolees who were absent during visits were issued warnings, and Thobakgale cautioned that repeated breaches could lead to parole being revoked.

One parolee was returned immediately to a correctional facility after being found consuming alcohol, a clear violation of his parole conditions.

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Correctional Services Committee Briefed on Parole of Janusz Walus and the Rapists in Alison Botha Case

Ricardo Teixeira — Thu, 15 May 2025 12:51:46 +0000

The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services received a briefing on the process leading to the cancellation or revocation of parole for inmates serving life sentences, highlighting concerns about granting parole to those who show no remorse for their crimes.

Acting Committee Chairperson Mr Janho Engelbrecht said committee members were referring to one inmate in particular, Mr Janusz Walus, who was serving a life sentence for the murder of South African Communist Party leader Mr Chris Hani. Members took exception to the fact that after Walus’s release he said in an interview that if given the opportunity, he would repeat his actions. Walus was deported to Poland after serving his sentence.

Members further enquired if it was possible to request that Walus be returned to South Africa, as they wanted him re-arrested for his utterances. Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald told the committee that Walus’s sentence falls within the terms of the Van Vuren Constitutional Court judgement, which referred to those sentenced to life before 1 March 1994. The judgement confirmed that a life sentence meant serving at least 10 years of a sentence or 15 years in the case of serious circumstances. Thereafter these inmates are placed on parole for a period of three years. Over 360 lifers benefited from the Van Vuren judgement, including Walus.

The committee heard that Walus benefited from the Van Vuren finding, as he killed Mr Hani in 1993. He served his sentence and three-year parole period before he was deported.

Regarding the cancellation of parole for Mr Frans du Toit and Mr Theuns Kruger, who brutally raped Ms Alison Botha in 1997, the Minister explained that it is first for the Parole Board to assess an application and make a recommendation to the National Council for Correctional Services (NCCS). The NCCS will then assess the recommendation on the basis of all the files and make its own decision, which is sent to the Minister. Before making his determination in this matter, the Minister considered a risk analysis, among other things.

He said the department received notice of litigation from Ms Botha’s legal representatives indicating that, among other things, there had been no victim consultation in the parole process. The Minister indicated that the department received legal advice on the matter. He also considered the utterance of the Judge in the case, who said neither of the two should ever be allowed out on bail due to the brutality of the crime.

“The committee noted the Minister’s conviction on the matter and his stance that he is prepared to fight his decision to cancel the parole in court. We appreciate the fact that he took all matters into consideration when he made his determination,” said Mr Engelbrecht.

The committee also received a briefing on the process of overhauling South Africa’s parole system. The committee expressed serious concern about the number of vacancies on Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards. The committee heard that the Department of Correctional Services has had to defend a number of disputes in various courts owing to conflicts in the contracts of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Correctional Service Parole Board . In an effort to put an end to this problem, a number of engagements were held with affected parties, including obtaining a legal opinion on how the matter could be resolved. The legal opinion obtained culminated in the drafting of a revised contract.

“The committee will monitor these matters very closely, as it is important to fully capacitate them,” said Mr Engelbrecht.

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Department of Correctional Services Advances Parole System Reforms with Stronger Focus on Victim Involvement

Ricardo Teixeira — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 10:36:07 +0000

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has embarked on a major reform of South Africa’s parole system, aimed at improving its effectiveness, transparency, and inclusivity. As part of this drive, the DCS has established a dedicated Task Team to review the current parole system and produced a draft position paper outlining proposals for a revised and more responsive framework.

Several “quick wins” have already been implemented based on early findings from the review process. These include the introduction of a compulsory Restorative Justice programme, the development of a decision-making tool to support Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards (CSPB), and the adoption of enhanced Risk and Probability Reports to better inform parole decisions. These initiatives aim to address longstanding shortcomings and to streamline parole processes in line with international best practice.

The draft position paper is not intended to be final, and rather, serves as a platform for discussion and broad consultation with stakeholders across the criminal justice and social development sectors. The department has engaged extensively with both internal and external role-players, culminating in a roundtable discussion attended by organisations including Sonke Gender Justice, the South African Police Service (SAPS), African Criminal Reform, Nirco, and the Wits Justice Project. The recommendations and inputs gathered from these engagements have been incorporated into the updated draft document, now titled A Revised Parole System for South Africa.

The DCS plans to present the position paper to Cabinet during 2025, marking a key milestone in the reform agenda. To further support and validate the review process, the department, together with the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME), is undertaking an extensive Evaluation Exercise. This evaluation, involving academic experts in the correctional services sector, aims to critically assess the current parole system and recommend evidence-based improvements. It is expected to be completed by the end of the 2026/27 financial year.

Financial constraints, however, have posed challenges. The DCS research unit was allocated only R360,000 for this project, insufficient for a full evaluation. Consequently, the department has partnered with academic institutions and the DPME to ensure the evaluation is thorough and robust, albeit over a longer period.

Parallel to its review of parole mechanisms, the DCS has strengthened its commitment to victim participation in the parole process. Supporting the Government’s broader Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP), the department has put in place formal procedures to facilitate and encourage victim involvement during parole deliberations.

In accordance with Section 75(4) of the Correctional Services Act, 1998, and Section 299A of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977, victims of specific serious crimes are entitled to be consulted before parole decisions are made. These crimes include murder, rape, armed robbery, kidnapping, sexual assault, trafficking in persons, and certain domestic violence offences. Victims are notified well in advance, at least 30 days prior to the Parole Board meeting, and provided with clear information on how to submit their representations, the format of the proceedings, and the potential influence their views may have on the outcome.

In cases where the primary victim has been murdered, immediate family members are recognised as victims and afforded the same rights to participate. Importantly, victims of crimes not listed under section 299A are also permitted to make representations, with the Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards required to consider their submissions unless compelling reasons exist to decline.

To promote healing and community reintegration, the DCS has also expanded its Restorative Justice programme, which includes Victim-Offender Dialogues (VOD) and Victim-Offender Mediation sessions. These processes aim to repair the harm caused by crime by fostering dialogue between offenders, victims, families, and communities. Restorative Justice is now recognised as a critical component of offender rehabilitation, and the Correctional Services Act mandates that restorative justice needs must be assessed for each sentenced offender shortly after admission.

Through these comprehensive reforms, the Department of Correctional Services seeks to build a parole system that is not only more just and efficient but also places victims’ rights and community healing at its core.

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Ten per cent of released prisoners re-offend

Guy Martin — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 07:43:03 +0000

Just on 10% of the close to 176 000 prisoners released in South Africa over the past five years re-offended, the Minister of Correctional Services has revealed.

Janho Engelbrecht, representing the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the National Assembly, was given the numbers by Correctional Services Minister, Pieter Groenewald, the lone Freedom Front Plus (FF+) representative in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government of national unity (GNU) seventh administration Cabinet.

Annually, in the last five years the single largest number of prisoners let out of jail was in 2019/20 when 43 304 sentenced offenders were released. That year also had the largest number of re-offenders – 7 832. On the other end of the stick the full year with the least released offenders – 28 000 – was 2021/22 with it recording the second lowest re-offender number – 1 617.

The lowest re-offender number “award” belongs to 2020/21 with 1 426 in a year when previous Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola, who also had the Justice Ministry in his portfolio, authorised the release of 30 195 prisoners.

This year figures for the April-August period show 11 891 prisoners released and 866 of them nabbed as re-offenders.

All told, in the timeframe requested by Engelbrecht, 175 975 prisoners were allowed out of jail with 17 035 of them either back behind bars or awaiting/undergoing trial after re-offending.

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Correctional Services addresses parole application backlog

Guy Martin — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 19:48:31 +0000

Minister of Correctional Services, Dr Pieter Groenewald, has concluded the backlog of parole applications for inmates who are serving life sentences.

This is according to the Department of Correctional Services (DCS).

“The Minister of Correctional Services, Dr Pieter Groenewald, committed to completing the backlog…by 15 October and has successfully processed these applications well ahead of the deadline.

“All profiles, including the inherited backlog of 495 cases and 104 new cases, a total of 599, have been concluded by the Minister as of 3 October 2024,” the department said.

The department explained that the Minister “approved 23 parole applications and has granted one case of day parole”.

“Three individuals serving life sentences have been granted parole and are subject to deportation, two of whom are citizens of Mozambique and one of whom is a citizen of Zimbabwe.

“The Minister made the undertaking to the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services to give feedback on the 15th of October. However, the Chairperson indicated that it will form part of the agenda for the next meeting,” the department said.

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Action Society calls for immediate parole reform to keep violent criminals out of communities

Guy Martin — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 09:32:13 +0000

Civil rights organisation Action Society has raised concerns about ‘fatal flaws’ in the parole system, warning that large percentages of parolees go unmonitored and continue to commit serious, violent crimes.

During a recent briefing by the Department of Correctional Services, one of the members of the committee brought up the fact that up to 40% of parolees go on to reoffend and commit serious crimes. These crimes include rape, murder, assault and robbery. “With shocking crime stats still fresh in our minds, it is harrowing to realise how many of these crimes would have been avoided if dangerous parolees had been kept off the street,” said Action Society spokesperson, Juanita du Preez.

“To make matters worse, last year SAPS revealed that they do not keep records of parolees nor are they aware of their whereabouts. These shocking facts were revealed in a two-page response in August last year on a request for access to information that Action Society sent to the South African Police Service (SAPS) on 18 January 2023,” the civil rights organisation said.

“In August last year, President Ramaphosa granted a special remission, resulting in the release of approximately 14 651 offenders, both conditionally and unconditionally, and the freeing of an estimated 20 855 probationers and parolees. This decision, taken in the absence of a robust and accountable criminal justice system, underscores the need for comprehensive reforms in our approach to law enforcement and criminal justice. In the meantime, strengthening community engagement and empowering provinces to manage their own policing can provide immediate relief and a path forward to a more secure and just South Africa,” Action Society said.

“We believe that the overhaul of the parole system is one of the key points that should receive immediate attention in the fight against crime. Dangerous offenders cannot even be considered for parole. The current parole system doesn’t lead to rehabilitation, it leads to reoffenders and this cannot be allowed. The parole system is being abused to cheat justice. There needs to be reform and change to keep the people of South Africa safe and we hope that this committee will take these matters seriously and come up with effective solutions,” said du Preez.

Another concern raised was medical parole acting as a type of ‘get out of jail free card.’ According to some members, inmates who are released on medical parole after being declared ‘terminally ill’, oftentimes completely slip out of the system and are found years later to be back in society and completely healthy. Former president Jacob Zuma is an obvious example, Action Society pointed out.

The Committee all agreed that parolees that reoffend is one of their biggest challenges. They also said that they will involve the Minister of Justice and promised that any new legislation or changes to legislation will be done in the next 24 months so that they do not fall behind.

“We urge the committee not to delay for 24 months, but to prioritise the parole issue for the next 12 months,” Action Society concluded.

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Parole and correctional supervision comes under discussion

Ricardo Teixeira — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:24:28 +0000

The Department of Correctional Services has appeared before the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services to discuss the issues of correctional supervision and parole boards in South Africa.

During the engagement, the department told the committee that currently, the country only has 52 correctional supervision and parole boards (CSPB) to consider offenders who could be placed on parole and correctional supervision.

Furthermore, the department revealed that during the 2022/23 year financial year, at least 85 inmates applied for medical parole. Twenty-two of them died while awaiting finalisation of their applications, four were released on normal parole, 43 were successful in their applications, while 13 were not recommended.

“We have raised concerns. We noted that vacancies exist in some of these boards, which could be a contributing factor. The department will furnish us with further information we require,” Committee Chairperson Kgomotso Ramolobeng said.

The committee raised concerns about the medical parole of some inmates, who went on to live healthy lives years later.

The department acknowledged that such exceptional cases do occur and committed that it would provide statistics to the committee in that regard.

“The department will provide us with the statistics of such matters, but they have assured us in the meantime that that figure is generally low. We will engage once we receive the information requested,” Ramolobeng said.

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Former top cop and child killer granted parole

Nivashni Nair — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 10:36:41 +0000

Former Cape Town cop and child killer, Marius van der Westhuizen has been granted parole.

Department of Correctional Services (DCS) spokesman Singabakho Nxumalo said
Van der Westhuizen, who killed his three children 17 years ago, appeared before the Parole Board and Correctional Supervision (CSPB) on 18 June.

Van der Westhuizen was commissioner of the Claremont Police Station when he killed 21-month-old Antoinette, 5-year-old Marius and 16-year-old Bianca, to punish his wife, also a police official, for not obeying him.

Nxumalo said Van der Westhuizen was granted a parole placement date of 31 July 2024.

“This decision adheres to Section 73 of the Correctional Services Act, which outlines the minimum sentence period that must be served before parole consideration.”
Nxumalo said it was Van der Westhuizen’s third appearance before the CSPB, with his first session occurring in December 2022.”

“Parole was not granted at that time due to the need for further profiling. Van der
Westhuizen has accepted responsibility for his crimes and has participated in therapeutic and other rehabilitation interventions,” he said.

Nxumalo said the victims were involved in the parole-hearing process and have been informed of the CSPB’s decision.

“Prior to his release, Van der Westhuizen will attend pre-release programs to help him transition to life after incarceration. Upon his release, he will complete the remainder of his sentence under community corrections, monitored according to parole conditions.”

Van der Westhuizen’s sentence is set to expire in September 2034.

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