The mother of a teenage boy who was fatally stabbed by a peer in Pinetown has questioned the justice system, alleging it was lenient on her child’s murderer.

Highway Mail reports that the spokesperson for the Department of Correctional Services, Singabakho Nxumalo, confirmed that the teen murderer, who cannot be identified as he was a minor when he committed the crime, was released on parole earlier this year after serving one-sixth (10 months) of his five-year sentence for the 2022 murder of Jorina Pretorius’ son, Jayden Glazer.

One of Pretorius’ grievances with the justice system is that she was not notified about the decision to place the teen on parole.

Parole process explained

Nxumalo explained that the decision to place an offender under correctional supervision – parole – is ‘at the discretion of the commissioner of correctional supervision and parole board after serving one-sixth of the sentence’.

“This option serves as an alternative to longer periods of imprisonment, particularly for offences that are not considered extremely serious but warrant more than a fine or suspended sentence,” said Nxumalo.

He said the teen was seen by the parole board on February 26 and was released on parole on February 28.

“The inmate met the requirements for parole, his address was confirmed and he served his minimum detention period at Durban Youth Centre.

“[He] is currently on parole under the supervision of the Durban Community Corrections Office.

“He had to complete 80 hours of community service at the SAPS building in Pinetown. He completed his community service and is complying with his conditions,” said Nxumalo, adding that the teen offender is under strict parole conditions and is being monitored in the Pinetown area.

Mother considers legal options

An upset Pretorius said she will consider seeking legal advice to determine whether she can have the decision overturned.

“I want him to go back to prison because I think that is wrong, 10 months in prison for murder,” said Pretorius.

Pretorius added that what was meant to be a fist fight over popularity eventually robbed her of her son, who was 15 years old at the time of the fatal stabbing.

She said she keeps company with a friend who is also grieving the loss of her son and they counsel each other, ‘which has helped me a lot’, and she keeps busy to avoid thinking too much about Jayden’s passing’.

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