Zonderwater officials re-arrest high-risk parolee in hospital near Cullinan
“The first time we tried to apprehend him, he was too aggressive and tried to stab officials with a knife.”
Zonderwater Community Corrections officials put an end to a high-risk parolee who has been evading the correctional system for a couple of months.
Upon release, offenders are placed under a community correctional system on the condition that they will not abscond and will comply with the conditions of the correctional service, including continued participation in correctional and development programmes.
Simon Mazibuko (34), a parole violator and a habitual criminal from Refilwe in Bronkhorstspruit was recently arrested by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) community corrections officials.
This followed after Mazibuko spent more than four months on the run from his monitoring officials.
Mazibuko was on parole for various crimes, such as assault which he committed in 2014.
Zonderwater officials made a swift arrest on Monday, July 25.
Their investigation led them to the whereabouts of the perpetrator who was nursing gunshot wounds at Kwa-Mhlanga Hospital near Cullinan.
“The first time we tried to apprehend him, he was too aggressive and tried to stab officials with a knife.
“His gang members who in turn mobilised more people also backed him up. He was swearing and insisted that he was not going back to prison”, said Aluwani Radzilani, community corrections monitoring official.
Radzilani added that the second attempt at arrest was successful following their risk assessment received from the DCS Emergency Task Team (EST) as well as police members who were on guard at the time.
“The purpose of community corrections is to successfully re-integrate the offenders back into the community to enforce compliance to conditions given and guarantee the safety of the community.
“Although every offender has rights, it is disturbing when a parolee violates, threatens and commits crimes within the very same community that is willing to accept and forgive his previous wrongdoings”, said Thandi Maya, the head of community corrections.
Maya further stated that it is the responsibility of her office to successfully re-integrate offenders back into the community.
She appealed to them to report all irregularities by ex-offenders to their office before experiencing serious damage.
Community members who witnessed the arrest were jubilant to see the absconder arrested, as he was troublesome to the community.
At the time of his arrest, Mazibuko was using a false name, that of Themba Masombuka under which he pursued his crimes.
“He said that he will not be arrested before his death, but luck ran out for this offender and he will serve his remaining term after his parole has been officially revoked.”
Zonderwater Correctional Area Commissioner, Nico Baloyi commended the braveness shown by the officials who went beyond the call of duty to arrest the high-risk, community-terrorising parolee.
“Officials demonstrated the profile of the ideal correctional officers that the department needs by risking their lives to protect the community from Mazibuko’s hooliganism,” said Commissioner Baloyi.
