Taliep’s former wife’s parole stalled: Minister orders review

Convicted murderer Najwa Petersen, who masterminded the murder of her husband, renowned musician Taliep Petersen is expected to wait a little longer before being released on parole.

This comes after Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald referred the decision of the Pollsmoor Correctional Supervision and Parole Board to place Petersen on parole to the Correctional Supervision and Parole Review Board (CSPRB).

Groenewald takes charge

Groenewald made the decision in terms of section 75(8) of the Correctional Services Act

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) earlier this month confirmed that Petersen had appeared before the CSPRB and was granted a parole placement date of 27 November 2024.

However, Groenewald’s spokesperson Euné Oelofsen said the CSPRB is tasked with reviewing the original decision made by the Pollsmoor Correctional Supervision and Parole Board and must confirm or replace it with its own decision.

“This referral suspends the decision to place her on parole, effective from the 27th of November 2024, pending the outcome of the CSPRB.”

ALSO READ: Najwa Peterson, mastermind behind husband Taliep’s murder, granted parole

Ensuring fairness

Groenewald decided to refer the matter following representations from the family of Taliep Petersen.

“The discrepancies in Marius van der Westhuizen’s case have led to a lack of public trust. As a result, I am exercising my discretion under the provisions of the Act to ensure that Parole Boards consider all reports comprehensively to prevent future occurrences of such issues,” the Groenewald said.

Van der Westhuizen, who was jailed for the 2006 murder of his three children was overturned in August.

Van der Westhuizen, who was acting station commander at Claremont Police Station, in 2006 shot his three children in front of his wife, Charlotte, at their home in Brackenfell, Western Cape.

In 2011, he was sentenced him to 24 years in prison.

A decade behind bars for Taliep’s murder

Now 63 years old, Petersen began serving a 28-year sentence on 11 February 2009 for murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

The 56-year-old Taliep was shot dead in his Athlone home on December 16 2006 in what was initially thought to be a robbery.

During the murder trial, Peterson pleaded not guilty, claiming robbers shot and killed her husband.

Abdoer Raasiet Emjedi, also a co-accused, was sentenced to 24 years behind bars in 2009 and was released on parole in 2020.

ALSO READ: Parole of ex-police officer Marius van der Westhuizen who killed his three children overturned