Mbombela parolees paid a surprise visit
Several Mbombela parolees were recently visited by a group of officers from the Department of Correctional Services and the Nelspruit Police Station as part of a special monitoring operation.
In an effort to reintegrate parolees back into the community and ensure they are adhering to parole conditions, a special monitoring operation was undertaken Tuesday evening, September 19.
Heading up the operation was the Department of Correctional Services and some officers of the Nelspruit Police Station, who surprised seven parolees and probationers living in Mataffin, Stonehenge, Belladonna, West Acres and Ext 13, with a visit.
The parolees’ offences include murder, aggravated robbery, fraud, forgery and the possession of child pornography. The special monitoring operation was led by the department’s Alpheus Mkhabela and Cynthia Anton.
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Anton said the monitoring was important to enhance visibility in communities in which the parolee and probationer stay, as well as to ensure they stick to the conditions of their parole and probation.
“The aim is to intensify monitoring and tracing of absconders and to involve the stakeholders of correctional services in the reintegration of parolees and probationers,” she said.
The first parolee visited was in Mataffin. He was found at the address given to the department upon his release from prison. He did not give permission to the department to have his identity shared with the media.
If the team did not find the parolee or probationer at the provided address, a letter stating that the person was in contravention of their parole or probation was left, telling them to go to the department’s office the next morning where a warning would be issued.
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If the parolee still did not show up the next morning, some officers would be sent out to find them, and once found, a sitting would be convened with the Reintegration Case Management Supervisor, and a decision be taken about whether they should be sent back to prison for 48 hours to remind them of their conditions.
During the visits, the parolees were asked if they had any complaints or requests.
The second person was also a resident of Mataffin. He had been convicted for fraud and forgery. He did not give the department permission to share his name with the media.
The third person visited was Lebogang Motaung of West Acres, who told Lowvelder he had been convicted for robbery and murder and was sentenced to 22 years. He said he had been out on parole since 2021. He is self-employed, and the department said it was happy to see he was self-sustaining, contributing to society and that there was a source of income to sustain his family.
The fourth parolee, also of West Acres, was not at the indicated residence. The correction officers said at the time they would go back the following morning.
The fifth parolee stayed in a settlement in the Belladonna area. He was also not at his address, and his wife was handed a letter for contravention of parole conditions.
The sixth parolee lives in Stonehenge and was convicted of possession of child pornography. He also did not give permission to the department to share his details with the media.
The last parolee visited in Ext 13, Ludicks Godfrey Mbulelo, had been convicted of murder and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He told Lowvelder he had served 12 years and had been on parole for just over a year.
“Parole is going well, but it has been a bit difficult because of the stigma. The department has given me support and I am keeping to the rules set out by them. It is quite simple,” he said.
Mbulelo said his parole will end in 2034. He often visits Barberton Prison to talk to the offenders and share with them that it is possible to turn your life around, and he encourages them to do so. He says he is also heavily involved with his church.
