Guest : Chrispin Phiri |

Justice and Correctional Services Minister, Ronald Lamola, briefed the media after he

convened an urgent two-day meeting with high ranking officials following a number of

cases in the Western Cape in which parolees were arrested for child murders.

At the briefing Lamola said that the situation in the province was giving him sleepless

nights.

He said that one of the issues was that in many cases, victims were not properly

consulted during their convicted attackers’ stay behind bars, nor were they consulted

with regard to the criminal’s parole process.

"We are embarking on a process to review some of the parole laws and parole policies.

In consultation with the NCCS, we will soon emerge with a public consultation

engagement with regards to where we have to strengthen some of the parole laws and

policies."

Over the past few weeks, 12-year-old Michaela Williams from Pelican Park, 8-year-old

Tazne Van Wyk from Elsies River and 7-year-old Reagan Gertse from Tulbagh were all

murdered allegedly by men who were out on parole.

One of the men implicated in the murder of UWC student, 19-year-old Jesse Hess, was

also out on parole when he allegedly killed the teen and her grandfather in August last

year.