Standerton inmates complain over parole delays
41 cases from the Standerton Correctional Centre are overdue, while a further 35 are due for consideration.
Inmates at the Standerton Correctional Centre have raised concerns over delays in parole consideration, alleging that administrative challenges are keeping eligible prisoners behind bars longer than expected.
The inmates claim that the delays followed the expiry of the contracts of members of the Bethal Management Area Community Supervision and Parole Board (CSPB), which serves the Standerton facility.
According to the inmates, prisoners should be profiled and referred to the parole board before reaching the halfway point of their sentences, where applicable, so the board can assess their rehabilitation progress and eligibility for parole.
One inmate, serving a 20-year sentence, alleged he was supposed to be referred to the board after serving half his sentence but discovered the board was not operational at the time.
The inmates further alleged that although the board reconstituted in July, a backlog continues to delay case consideration. They claimed that prisoners whose eligibility dates passed one or two years ago were being prioritised, leaving others uncertain about when their cases would be heard.
The situation has also raised concerns about alleged intimidation by officials when inmates enquire about their cases.
“When we ask questions, officials threaten us and tell us we are ruining our chances of release. They also call us names. We feel completely oppressed because our freedom depends entirely on them,” another inmate alleged.
Inmates also claim that requests to be transferred to correctional facilities closer to their families are routinely ignored, making it difficult for relatives to visit them.
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However, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has disputed claims that the parole board was not operational, saying measures were put in place to ensure continuity while the contracts of certain board members were being finalised.
Siphiwe Mahlangu, communications manager for the department’s Bethal Management Area, said other management areas assisted during the period when some board members’ contracts had expired.
“The full complement of the Bethal Management Area CSPB was reconstituted in July, following the finalisation of the necessary contract extensions and appointment arrangements,” said Mahlangu.
He said the board subsequently underwent orientation and the required minimum training to prepare its chairperson and members to carry out their statutory responsibilities.
Mahlangu confirmed that 41 cases from the Standerton Correctional Centre are overdue, while a further 35 are due for consideration.
He said the board serves five correctional centres and must consider eligible cases from all of them in accordance with the applicable legislation and prescribed procedures.
Although Standerton contributes the largest proportion of the management area’s caseload, Mahlangu said the backlog must be addressed across all five facilities.
“The Board has reprioritised its activities to focus on the consideration of overdue cases and it is working through the outstanding caseload, giving particular attention to cases that have exceeded their prescribed consideration periods,” he said.
Mahlangu explained that the parole consideration process begins before an offender reaches the applicable eligibility milestone.
As a general practice, an offender’s profile is prepared approximately six months before the halfway point of a sentence, where applicable, and ordinarily submitted to the parole board about three months before that milestone.
He stressed that reaching the minimum detention period does not automatically qualify an offender for release.
“Eligibility creates an opportunity for consideration in accordance with the applicable legislative framework and prescribed procedures, with each case assessed on its individual merits,” said Mahlangu.
He added that the date on which a profile is submitted does not, on its own, determine the order in which cases are considered. The board also considers offenders’ eligibility dates and how long their cases have been overdue.
The department could not provide a definitive date for when it would clear the backlog, noting that new cases continue to enter the system as they become due for consideration.
On the inmates’ calls for transfers to other correctional facilities, Mahlangu said moving offenders to facilities in other management areas was not an automatic solution to parole delays.
He explained that transferring a case after it had been submitted to the responsible board could create additional administrative and operational complications. Other boards also have their own caseloads, sitting schedules and capacity constraints.
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The department assesses transfer applications individually, taking into account available bed space, the offender’s profile and category, and other operational considerations.
Mahlangu said persistent overcrowding at correctional facilities could also limit the department’s ability to accommodate transfer requests. The number of outstanding transfer applications from Standerton inmates was still being verified.
Regarding allegations of intimidation and verbal abuse, Mahlangu said such conduct by officials was not condoned.
He encouraged inmates to report concerns through established departmental channels, adding that the department would assess allegations of misconduct and, where warranted, investigate them in line with departmental procedures.
The department said offender complaints were registered daily and referred to designated officials for attention. Disciplinary action could follow where wrongdoing was established.
Mahlangu acknowledged the concerns about delays in parole consideration and said the board was prioritising overdue cases while continuing to process new profiles.
He added that rehabilitation, accountability and preparation for reintegration into society remained important considerations in the parole process, alongside the need to maintain safe and secure correctional facilities.
