Release of ‘low-risk’ prisoners announced by Ramaphosa
President Cyril Ramaphosa has given the green light for the placement on parole of some 19 000 prisoners in an attempt to curb the spread of coronavirus in prisons.
Six correctional facilities in South Africa has confirmed cases of Covid-19 with two deaths at an Eastern Cape prison.
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The total number of positive cases stood at 172 on Thursday.
The Presidency’s Khusela Diko says this follows a call by the United Nations on countries to reduce their prison populations as part of measures to curb Covid-19.
“The parole dispensation will apply to low-risk inmates who have passed their minimum detention period or will approach this period in the coming five years.
“This dispensation excludes inmates sentenced to life imprisonment or serving terms for specified other serious crimes, including sexual offences, murder and attempted murder, gender based violence and child abuse.”
Diko says the inmates' sentences will not be remitted.
"They will therefore continue to serve their sentence under community corrections until they reach their respective sentence expiry dates."