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SA Parole system needs adjustments: Masutha

Prisoners in uniform
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The Parole system in South Africa needs to be revisited and adjustments must be made. That’s the word from Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha who has several litigation matters before him.

Offenders have often taken him and the department of correctional services to court challenging the country’s parole system.

While the police services are lauded for doing great work and apprehending criminals, the countries old facilities simply does not have the capacity to accommodate all of them.

Masutha is prompting the department to revisit its parole system.

Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha says:”If there weren’t any sticking points I wouldn’t be taken to court. I am told at least 20 times a week, we are really busy in and out of court. The problem is the rehabilitation system.”

“The very first day an offender arrives in prison. Social worker and psychologist reports are sometimes not up to date; offenders sometimes are not subject to all programmes available.”

While the minister concedes that there are a number of challenges within the system but he maintains that parole is a privilege and not a right.

National Council for Correctional Services Judge Esther Steyn says: “The parole system that is in place has been in operation for the last 20 years. So it needs a review and it also needs to get in line with the administrative process, we’ve accepted the budget. So as much as offenders are litigating against the department we want to ensure that the legislation and policy are all in line.”

The Department of Correctional Services in the Western Cape has been taken to court before and forced to reduce its numbers at its facilities.

Hundreds of offenders were sent to other provinces but it seems the department is back to square one.

This as a result of awaiting trial prisoners, at the round table discussions that the minister will hold with relevant stakeholders he will include the dilemma that the department finds itself in.

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