The National Freedom Party has called on Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola and Police Minister Bheki Cele to expunge criminal records for all juvenile inmates.
NFP Secretary-General Canaan Mdletshe said there are more than 42 000 juvenile prisoners serving sentences in South African correctional services centres.
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‘As we move towards the end of Youth Month, the NFP calls on the government to expunge criminal records for all juvenile inmates,’ Mdletshe said.
‘Our call is for all those who have been convicted of minor crimes to have their names cleared of criminal records upon release so they can start a new life with a clean slate.’
Current laws require a criminal record to expire after 10 years, even for shorter sentences.
‘The biggest challenge confronting the country is repeat offenders frequenting our prisons. Part of the reason a person would return to jail a few weeks later is simply because they find it extremely difficult to gain employment owing to their criminal record,’ he continued.
‘Having a criminal record in South Africa is a sentence on its own, because no employer would consider hiring someone with a record.’
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