Parole and Correctional Supervision Comes Under Discussion

The Department of Correctional Services presented critical issues regarding correctional supervision and parole boards before the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services.

During the session, the department highlighted that South Africa currently operates with only 52 Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards (CSPB), responsible for assessing and deciding on the potential release of offenders under parole and correctional supervision.

The department also shared data from the 2022/23 financial year, revealing that 85 inmates applied for medical parole. Of these, 22 passed away while their applications were pending, four were released on standard parole, 43 successfully received medical parole, and 13 were not recommended for release.

Committee Chairperson Kgomotso Ramolobeng expressed concern about vacancies within some of these boards, suggesting that these gaps might be impacting the efficiency of the parole process. The committee has requested further details from the department.

Another significant issue raised was the medical parole granted to some inmates who later went on to live healthy lives for several years, raising questions about the criteria used for granting such paroles. The department acknowledged the existence of these cases but assured the committee that such instances are rare and committed to providing detailed statistics for further review.

“We will engage further once we receive the information requested,” Ramolobeng stated, signaling ongoing scrutiny of the parole process.

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