Cape Town - Prison rights activists have criticised the Department of Correctional Services for violating Norman Afzal Simons’ human rights, after he was released on parole for life.
The Department of Correctional Services said that Simons was placed on parole for life and that this meant an indefinite period.
He has also been barred from speaking publicly via the media and he has been placed under 24 hour house arrest.
He is allowed four hours per week to seek medical attention if needed and will receive eight visits per month from Community Corrections and must attend rehabilitation programmes and seek employment.
“The Department is acting on the instructions of the courts, when the appeal comes back to amend the 25 years and ten years to life, that is why he will be on life parole,” DCS said.
“Should he breach his conditions, he will go back to prison.
“We do not issue warrants, we issue what the court says.
“Therefore Norman will be with us, the only thing he can do while he is outside, is to be a better citizen and be cooperative.
“If he breeches he must come back to serve life that the Magistrate imposed on him.”
After 2012, new legislation came into effect, that if a prisoner received a life sentence before 2004, they could apply for parole but must serve at least 13 years and four months of their sentence.
Lawrence Venter of DCS said Simons’ first parole bid was denied by the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and that a decision had been made afterwards to consider him for parole.
Golden Miles Bhudu of the South African Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights, said DCS was too harsh on Simons who had already served his time: “The DCS is violating the Parole Monitoring and Evaluation prescriptions of the Parole and Release regime.
“It’s for the first time since the dawn of our hard earned democracy that we experienced such barbaric monitoring conditions under the watch of a transformed Department of Corrections.
“Those within the DCS who decided on this move have run out of ideas and are bringing both the Parole and Release regime policies into disrepute.
“Mr. Simon has served 28 years, for being found guilty of one of the murders.
“The man has served his dues to the community.
“Give him a second chance.”