Releasing prisoners is ridiculous even in the season of giving

There has been a justifiably angry reaction to the release of abaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo on parole this week.

Dalindyebo was imprisoned in December 2015 after the Eastern Cape High Court handed him 15 years in jail for seven counts of kidnapping, three of assault, three of arson, one of culpable homicide and one of defeating the ends of justice.

The sentence was reduced by three years by the Supreme Court of Appeal.

We agree President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to release Dalindyebo undermines the role of our judiciary.

“The charges that King Dalindyebo faced were of a very serious nature, something which may lead to organs of civil society saying we now have a parallel judicial structure,” said analyst Ralph Mathekga.

“Due to him being a violent man who has been a danger to society, his release from prison is bound to be questioned. What is concerning is that these executive decisions come in the wake of the judiciary having sanctioned and sentenced offenders.

“The question many people will ask is whether such executive decisions are not merely taken to score political points. If the executive is, by law, allowed to use its discretion, is it done in a manner that undermines the judiciary?”

The message this sends out is not a good one. It may be the season of giving, but this is ridiculous.

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