INLSA
The paroled prisoner arrested for raping a 94-year-old Wartburg woman is led into the the New Hanover Magistrates Court yesterday. He was released in the special remission programme announced by President Jacob Zuma recently. The DA says that the president should visit the woman and apologise to her.
President Jacob Zuma should personally visit the 94-year-old KwaZulu-Natal woman who was attacked and raped by a paroled prisoner who had been released in terms of the special remission programme announced by the president.
This was the call yesterday by DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko.
The man made a brief appearance in the New Hanover Magistrate’s Court yesterday. He will appear in court again for a bail application on August 3. Police spokesman Captain Thulani Zwane said the woman had been attacked and raped in her home in the Emabheleni area, near Wartburg, on Saturday. The man was arrested in Wartburg on Monday.
Zuma has come under scathing criticism from opposition parties who are calling for the remission programme to be reviewed.
James Smallberger, chief commissioner for incarceration and correction for the Department of Correctional Services, said the man, 28, had been serving a six-month prison sentence.
“He was incarcerated on February 27 and released on May 21,” said Smallberger.
Mazibuko said Zuma should go and visit this latest victim, and apologise to her for the devastating crime that was committed against her.
Mazibuko said Zuma’s decision to release 44 985 prisoners under the programme had placed the lives of the elderly at risk.
The release had happened “despite knowing that under the last special remission programme in 2005, 157 released prisoners reoffended and were readmitted to correctional centres”.
She said the DA had tabled a motion in the National Assembly for a debate on the programme, and would continue to push for this to happen.
“The president must take responsibility for his decision and deliver this most recent victim a sincere apology in person,” said Mazibuko.
IFP spokesman Joshua Mazibuko concurred, saying the special remission needed to be reviewed.
Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota said respect for the elderly had been lost.
“We also call for the review. The prisoners need to be monitored when they are released.”
More than 100 prisoners have been rearrested since being released from the special remission programme.
Court proceedings were attended by ANC Women’s League provincial secretary and Social Development MEC Weziwe Thusi, and Cosatu provincial secretary Zet Luzipo.
