MORE than 3,500 Eastern Cape prisoners out on parole and probation have been handed a lifeline as part of the remission of sentences granted by President Jacob Zuma on Freedom Day.
The provincial department of correctional services yesterday announced that it would clear the records of 2,000 offenders out on parole and 1,663 out on probation.
About 35,000 prisoners across the country are expected to benefit.
The department, already struggling with overcrowding in its 35 correctional facilities in the Eastern Cape, will in the next eight weeks release more convicted prisoners.
Only prisoners who qualified for the remission process will be released, provincial commissioner Nkosinathi Breakfast said yesterday. The prison boss could not say what these offenders' crimes were.
"The department has today (Wednesday) cleared its records of convicted offenders who were out on probation and parole. Due to the president's remission process their term has expired and now they are free citizens," Breakfast said.
Next week the department would release convicted women, elderly and disabled offenders, and youths under the age of 21.
In the following weeks, prisoners serving sentences ranging from six months to seven years and longer will also be released, he added.
The process would end on July 6.
Breakfast said the majority of criminals who will be released from jail were convicted of petty crimes .
"The police have been notified about those offenders who have been in jail for a long time and they will be keeping an eye on things," he said, adding that most offenders had already been rehabilitated.
The were more than 18000 prisoners in the province with a correctional capacity for 12000.
Opposition parties lambasted the move. "It is a slap in the face for victims of crimes. Prisoners should outlive their sentences," said Bobby Stevenson, Democratic Alliance spokesman for safety and security.
Congress of the People provincial spokesman Nkosifikile Gqomo said: "We hope the process will take into account victims of crimes and we seriously do hope that the process is not intended to promote crime."
Safety and liaison portfolio committee chairman Mninawa Nyusile said the process should be supported. "The president was spot on. This will seriously address the issue of overcrowding in prisons whereby officials are not coping. People are moaning because they are misinformed. There won't be any killers and rapists released. The remission is only for lighter sentences."
Freedom given to 3,500 Eastern Cape prisoners
MORE than 3,500 Eastern Cape prisoners out on parole and probation have been handed a lifeline as part of the remission of sentences granted by President Jacob Zuma on Freedom Day.
The provincial department of correctional services yesterday announced that it would clear the records of 2,000 offenders out on parole and 1,663 out on probation.
About 35,000 prisoners across the country are expected to benefit.
The department, already struggling with overcrowding in its 35 correctional facilities in the Eastern Cape, will in the next eight weeks release more convicted prisoners.
Only prisoners who qualified for the remission process will be released, provincial commissioner Nkosinathi Breakfast said yesterday. The prison boss could not say what these offenders' crimes were.
"The department has today (Wednesday) cleared its records of convicted offenders who were out on probation and parole. Due to the president's remission process their term has expired and now they are free citizens," Breakfast said.
Next week the department would release convicted women, elderly and disabled offenders, and youths under the age of 21.
In the following weeks, prisoners serving sentences ranging from six months to seven years and longer will also be released, he added.
The process would end on July 6.
Breakfast said the majority of criminals who will be released from jail were convicted of petty crimes .
"The police have been notified about those offenders who have been in jail for a long time and they will be keeping an eye on things," he said, adding that most offenders had already been rehabilitated.
The were more than 18000 prisoners in the province with a correctional capacity for 12000.
Opposition parties lambasted the move. "It is a slap in the face for victims of crimes. Prisoners should outlive their sentences," said Bobby Stevenson, Democratic Alliance spokesman for safety and security.
Congress of the People provincial spokesman Nkosifikile Gqomo said: "We hope the process will take into account victims of crimes and we seriously do hope that the process is not intended to promote crime."
Safety and liaison portfolio committee chairman Mninawa Nyusile said the process should be supported. "The president was spot on. This will seriously address the issue of overcrowding in prisons whereby officials are not coping. People are moaning because they are misinformed. There won't be any killers and rapists released. The remission is only for lighter sentences."
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