Geordin Hill-Lewis challenges Pieter Groenewald on parolee tracking
Minister of Correctional Services Pieter Groenewald.
Image: Independent Media Archives
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has refuted claims that 28 000 parolees are untraceable, stating that the inmate population stands at 168 795 with an accurate tracing system.
The department said 52 772 parolees and probationers are under Community Corrections supervision.
This comes as Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis challenged the parolees' numbers via his Facebook page.
“Nearly 28 000 parolees are untraceable. Gone. Missing. Many of these are violent criminals, now walking free, putting the public at risk," said Hill-Lewis.
“Pieter Groenewald must not hide behind excuses.
"He must act today to find these parolees, bring them back before the law, and hold every official accountable who allowed them to disappear."
DCS Minister Pieter Groenewald’s spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo, said their office was aware of the claims but refuted them, stating that they had a tracing system with 17 764 officials on duty.
“Suggestions that the Department has abandoned the tracing of absconders are therefore incorrect.
“Community Corrections, responsible for supervising parolees and probationers, has a staff complement of 1 764 officials, supported by managers across the Department.
“DCS maintains active tracking and tracing capabilities in all regions and no longer uses 'archived absconders' as an inactive category.
“Dedicated regional teams continue to strengthen monitoring and re-apprehension efforts. Therefore, any suggestion that the Department has abandoned efforts to trace absconders is incorrect.”
He argued that parolees and probationers are subjected to various forms of supervision, including office reporting, home visits, employment verification, and rehabilitation interventions based on individual risk profiles.
Correctional services officials demonstrate the use of the new electronic monitoring system on a parolee.
Image: file
Nxumalo said the inmate population currently stands at 168 795, comprising 106 280 sentenced inmates, 62 092 remand detainees, and 423 state patients, against approved bed space of 107 067, resulting in overcrowding of 58%.
"In addition, 52 772 parolees and probationers are under Community Corrections supervision," he said.
Golden Miles Bhudu, spokesperson for the South African Organisation for Human Rights (SAPOHR), said financial support had affected the operations of DCS.
“The National Commissioner did that by means of withdrawing state vehicles, meant to ease monitoring, evaluation, supervision, and enforcing parole rules and regulations.
“The clueless National Commissioner of Correctional Services did that by recalling all state vehicles that were bought with hard-earned taxpayers' monies, to fulfil the Community Corrections mandate, and he decided to replace such with private fleets.
“As a result, approximately 28 000 parolees have absconded, with the Department of Correctional Services being unable to trace their whereabouts.
“SAPOHR sadly learned that amongst the absconders are serious and violent offenders, convicted for murder, rape, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and kidnapping," they said.