Covid-19: President Ramaphosa set to release 19 000 low-risk inmates on parole to reduce spread of coronavirus in prisons
Just under 19 000 low-risk inmates will be placed on parole over a 10-week period.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised for selected categories of sentenced offenders to be placed on parole in order to help combat the spread of Covid-19 in correctional facilities.
A statement released by the presidency on 8 May said Ramaphosa has taken this step in response to a call by the United Nations to all countries to reduce prison populations so that social distancing and self-isolation conditions can be observed during this period.
In South Africa, as in many other countries, correctional facilities have witnessed outbreaks of coronavirus infections among inmates and personnel.
A number of countries across the world have already heeded the call by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and have released a number of offenders in detention.
A section of the Correctional Services Act empowers the president to authorise, at any time, the placement on correctional supervision or parole of any sentenced prisoner, subject to conditions that may be recommended by the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board.
“The decision taken by the president to combat the spread of Covid-19 in correctional centres could relieve our correctional services facilities of just under 19 000 inmates out of a population of 155 000.”
The parole dispensation will apply to low-risk inmates who have passed their minimum detention period or will approach this period in the coming five years.
“This dispensation excludes inmates sentenced to life imprisonment or serving terms for specified other serious crimes, including sexual offences, murder and attempted murder, gender-based violence and child abuse.”
Inmates that will be affected by this decision will be placed on parole instead of having their sentences remitted. They will, therefore, continue to serve their sentence under Community Corrections until they reach their respective sentence expiry dates.
Offenders may be arrested and ultimately reincarcerated if they violate their release conditions.
The placement of qualifying sentenced offenders will take place over a 10-week period and will commence as soon as all Parole Board processes have been finalised and all relevant rehabilitation and pre-release programmes are attended.
More details on the parole placement programme will be outlined by Minister of Justice Ronald Lamola in a public briefing.
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