De Kock parole application raises unanswered questions

10 July 2014

The DA takes note of the decision by the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Mike Masutha, to deny parole to Eugene de Kock who was tried and convicted on 89 charges and sentenced to two life sentences and 212 years in prison after disclosing the full scope of his crimes while testifying before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

The DA has consistently taken the view that prisoners can and should be released on parole, but only after the correct procedures have been followed. In the case of ‘lifers' this involves recommendations from the Correctional Supervision Parole Board, the National Council for Correctional Services and a decision by the Minister. Part of this process involves consulting the victims of the crime or their families.

This process needs to be followed without fear or favour for any and all applicants.

It seems that the process was not followed fully and the Minister did not approve Mr de Kock's parole.

Having said this, it seems somewhat inequitable that Mr de Kock, who committed extremely serious crimes as a functionary of a thoroughly evil system, is seemingly the only one punished while many who sanctioned the atrocities he committed have never been prosecuted, far less convicted and imprisoned.

Statement issued by James Selfe MP, DA Shadow Minister of Correctional Services, July 10 2014

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