The Minister of Correctional Services, Mrs Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has today approved the placement on parole of nine offenders sentenced to life over 20 years.
Minister Mapisa-Nqakula granted parole to nine "lifers" after considering recommendations of the National Council on Correctional Services (NCSS) for placing 18 lifers who have served at least 20 years in custody. Announcing her decision in Pretoria today Minister Mapisa-Nqakula said: "currently there are 57 offenders serving life sentences, who have completed the 20 year minimum detention period, and who are therefore eligible for consideration for placement on parole." The nine granted cases for placement on parole include Mr Almond Nofomela whose placement on parole was recently confirmed by the Minister subject to certain conditions.
In terms of section 136(3) of the Correctional Services Act, 1998, an offender serving a life sentence of imprisonment, to which he or she was sentenced before 1 October 2004, is entitled to be considered for parole after he or she has served at least 20 years of the sentence. The Act determines that the case of an offender who has served 20 years of his sentence must be submitted to the National Council for Correctional Services (NCCS), which must make a recommendation to the Minister of Correctional Services regarding the placement of the offender on day parole or parole.
In terms of the Act, the Minister of Correctional Services has discretion to accept or reject any favourable recommendation of the NCCS. Minister Mapisa-Nqakula said: "it must also be borne in mind that such offenders are placed on parole for the duration of their natural lives and should they break their parole conditions they will again be detained."
In exercising her discretion to grant parole to the nine lifers, Minister Mapisa-Nqakula applied her mind and took into account the protection of the community, the risk of re-offending and the likelihood of successful reintegration of the offender into the community. She emphasised that "the Case Management Committees (CMCs) and the Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards (CSPB) are important agents in the process of handling cases of lifers and in providing relevant information to help the Minister make an informed decision.
The Minister called upon communities to take part in the processes of the Parole Boards. She said: "victim participation is an essential part of the restorative justice process, which informs the policies of the Department of Correctional Services. Communities also need to facilitate offender reintegration into society to help us break the cycle of crime and reduce re-offending in our society."
Enquiries:
Sonwabo Mbananga
Cell: 082 888 1374
Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
9 September 2009
