The Department of Justice and Correctional Services on Monday began to discuss changes to the current parole system.
Speaking at the Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria‚ Acting Minister of Justice and Correctional Services‚ Faith Muthambi described the current system‚ implemented in 1998‚ as “outdated and in need of revision”.
“In recent years‚ we have received much criticism about the state of parole in South Africa‚ suggesting that the current parole system should be substantially reorganised‚” said Muthambi.
Following these calls‚ Justice Minister Micheal Masutha appointed a task team to do research on the proposed changes.
The task team has since submitted a White Paper detailing their recommendations.
It explored aspects as to what should happen when victims or their families could not be traced in order to give their input on whether an offender should be granted parole‚ Muthambi said.
Other recommendations include suggestions that convicted foreign nationals who are released on parole and deported or extradited should not be allowed back into the country without informing the Department of Home Affairs.
The recommendations will be discussed by members of the 53 national parole boards and further consultations will be made before the paper is submitted to Parliament for review.
Muthambi highlighted that although there were loopholes in the current parole system‚ it had proved to be successful‚ adding that 98 percent of those released complied with their parole conditions.
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