'A number of high-risk parolees committing further offences': minister

Rape, robbery, murder and culpable homicide are among offences committed by 30% of parolees released in the Cape Flats area between January 2024 and February 2025.

This was revealed by minister of correctional services Peter Groenewald in response to questions by DA MP Nicholas Gotsell in the National Assembly.

Groenewald said of the 591 convicts released, 160 were classified as high-risk parolees. A total of 183 of the parolees had reoffended.

The areas with the highest number of parolees are Delft, Elsies River, Ravensmead and Manenberg. Out of 201 parolees released in Delft, 73 reoffended; in Elsies River, 52 out of 172 parolees reoffended; in Manenberg, 79 reoffended; and in Ravensmead, 25 out of 61 reoffended. 

Groenewald said once parolees reoffend, they are referred for revocation.

“SAPS helps with monitoring and tracing. Referral to the parole board depends on the length of the sentence. Authority to revoke all offenders sentenced to less than 24 months lies with the head of centre, while offenders sentenced to more than 24 months are referred to the parole board, which decides whether to revoke,” he said.

Last week, Sowetan reported how a violent criminal who was deemed high risk was granted parole and went on to commit a series of brutal murders while correctional services officials failed to monitor him adequately.

This lapse in the parole system is revealed in a damning report exposing negligence at multiple correctional facilities where Rassie Nkuna was incarcerated.

Nkuna is serving life terms for the 2022 murder of his girlfriend Pretty Mazibuko and her cop sister Marcia. He is accused of killing at least six people, including Pretty and Marcia, while out on parole.

He is due to return to the Pretoria high court on May 7, where he is standing trial for the double murder of Lucky and Sabeliwe Mogashoa.

He allegedly kidnapped the couple in March 2022, two months after he was placed on parole, and shot them in front of their minor children. It has since emerged that Sabeliwe was pregnant at the time.

Gotsell said the numbers show the failures of correctional services to rehabilitate convicts.

“The department must seriously rethink how they spend their budget and place bigger emphasis on rehabilitation. After a recent visit to Pollsmoor [prison], I must add that a facility such as Pollsmoor is not conducive to rehabilitation — even if you had the correct or enough programmes,” said Gotsell.

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