The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services today heard that more than one quarter of inmates who applied for medical parole during the 2023/24 financial year died before the process could be completed.
The committee was briefed by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) on the structure and functions, challenges and successes of the department, as well as its plans to address identified challenges and progress in legislation to overhaul the parole system.
Regarding deaths of inmates while awaiting medical parole outcomes, the committee heard that during 2023/24 financial year 22 offenders died before their medical parole applications could be finalised. During the same financial year, 85 offenders applied for medical parole, of which four were released on normal parole, 43 were recommended for medical parole, 13 were not recommended and 22 died prior to their applications process being completed.
Committee Chairperson Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng said: “We have raised concerns. We noted that vacancies exist in some of these boards that could be a contributing factor. The department will furnish us with the further information we required.”
The committee heard there are currently 52 correctional supervision and parole boards (CSPB) in the country whose main function is to consider offenders for possible placement on parole and correctional supervision. The Correctional Services Act (CSA) provides that any sentenced offender may be considered for placement on medical parole by the National Commissioner, the CSPB or the Minister. The Minister must establish a Medical Parole Advisory Board (MPAB) to provide an independent medical report to the National Commissioner, CSPB or the Minister.
The MPAB must make a recommendation to the National Commissioner, the CSPB or the Minister on the appropriateness of granting medical parole. The committee heard that the CSA provides a list of medical conditions for consideration by the MPAB when assessing an offender’s medical parole application.
Committee Member Mr Damien Klopper had concerns about inmates who are granted medical parole due to a terminal illness, but more than a decade later are found to be functioning well in society.
The DCS said it will provide statistics on those who fall in to this category to the committee in writing. Meanwhile, the department assured the committee that the board reviewing such matters is composed of experts in the health field and that while such exceptional cases exist their number is small.
Another Committee Member, Mr Janho Engelbrecht, felt that the entire parole system, which he believes is not achieving what is it supposed to do, is overdue for a review. He believes the presence on the board of members of the public, who he says do not have the requisite skills, can lead to serious errors in granting parole to offenders who are not ready for it. Committee Member Ms Dereleen James disagreed, however, saying it is those community members who have the best interests of the community at heart. “I think we need to train and equip them,” Ms James asserted.
“The department will provide us with the statistics of such matters, but they have assured us in the meantime that that figure is generally low. We will engage once we received the information requested,” said Ms Ramolobeng.
Rajaa Azzakani
4 September 2024
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