Correctional Services acting national commissioner Zach Modise says the Department has a very important role to play in ensuring that victims of crime and the public have unhindered access to justice and corrections.
Modise said this after studying a progress report on the execution of a R10 million video conferencing system to be used to connect victims of crime to South Africa’s 53 Correctional Supervision and Parole Board (CSPB) offices, to allow them to have a say in parole hearings for offenders.
He said in terms of Section 299A of the Criminal Procedure Act victims or their relatives have a right ‘to make representations in certain matters with regard to placements on parole’ of offenders serving terms of incarceration for among others murder, rape, robbery, sexual assault and kidnapping.
“It is imperative that victims be prepared, and be involved, when the perpetrators are being considered for placement on parole, in line with the provision of the Correctional Services Act and the Criminal Procedure Act,”he said.
“We call on victims to participate in the processes so that they are not surprised when they see the perpetrators on the streets. We can’t talk about perpetrators without talking about the victims.” he added.
He added that victims meeting with the perpetrators are very crucial and plays an integral part of restorative justice of making corrections a real societal responsibility.
“Building on this, the department’s overall development objective is to contribute in building safe and peaceful communities by reducing crime and providing more effective, multi-sectoral and coordinated support to victims of crime,” he said.
Earlier this month, Justice and Correctional Services Minister Adv Michael Masutha announced the rollout of the video-conferencing system for Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards (CSPB).
Delivering his Budget Speech in Parliament on 16th July 2014, Masutha said the launch of the video conferencing system in all 53 correctional supervision and parole boards offices is expected to be in November.
