Relief and joy were etched on the faces of women who were among the first Western Cape prisoners to be released on Monday as part of the government’s remission of sentence programmes.
”Ek is te bly. Ek wil net by die huis kom. Dis al. [I am so happy. I just want to go home. That’s all],” said Dorieca Demas from Bishop Lavis.
Demas was one of 22 women released from Pollsmoor prison, following the clemency announcement by Minister of Correctional Services Ngconde Balfour.
Pollsmoor area commissioner Clifford Mketshane told reporters that 1 173 offenders already in the community corrections system automatically qualified for release.
This excluded the 22 women, four disabled men and 154 juveniles released on Monday. Of the 22 women, 20 were released unconditionally while two had ”strict” conditions imposed.
At prison, dagga courier Susan Kruger from Somerset West could hardly contain her happiness.
”I’m so excited,” she said of going home to her family and friends.
Kruger served one year of a three year sentence after being caught at the Cape Town International airport trying to smuggle 11kg of dagga to England.
Shoplifter Gloria Sizani of Phillipi praised God for granting them a ”miracle.”
”We are going to change our lives now … There is a lot of heartbreak in prison. We miss our families,” she said.
Amanda Davids of The Strand, who was sentenced to five years for murder and served three years and nine months before being released and re-imprisoned for breaking her parole, said her release was a ”second chance”.
”Ek will my kinders sien. Ek voel baie gelukkig vir almal. [I want to see my children. I feel very happy for everyone],” she said.
Naomi Colley spoke of her fears — such as being accepted by the community and finding a job.
Colley, serving a sentence for house-breaking, said she feared temptation and hoped she was strong enough to resist.
”My familie moet net weer vertroue in my kry. Ek weet dit gaan tyd vat. [My family needs to trust me again. I know this will take time],” she said.
Addressing reporters, Mketshane said in accordance with Balfour’s announcement, all offenders qualified for the six months remission of sentence.
Mketshane said the Department of Correctional Services had been liaising with families, communities and NGOs to help smooth the reintegration of offenders into society.
”We trust that employers will also contribute to the success of this remission process … Everyone needs to play his or her role in community upliftment and the war against crime,” said Mketshane in response to a question of possible recidivism among released offenders.
Meanwhile, 79 prisoners were released at the Kroonstad prison.
Puleng Mokhoane, spokesperson for the department in the Free State and Northern Cape, said 39 women were released in Kroonstad. ”Among those were three mothers and their babies and one child under 18-years-old,” she said.
Also released were 39 other prisoners under the age of 25-years-old. Free State Premier Beatrice Marshoff attended the release in Kroonstad.
About 700 prisoners will be released this week at prisons in the Free State and Northern Cape, Mokhoane said.
Correctional services spokesperson Graham Abrahams said earlier that the staggered releases will continue for at least eight weeks. He declined to give the total of prisoners expected to be released, but said week-by-week statistics will be made available.
The department, however, has indicated that the numbers are expected to run into the thousands.
Under the programme, a maximum of six months special remission of sentences will be granted to all sentenced offenders, probationers, parolees and day parolees irrespective of the crime category.
An additional maximum of 14 months special remission of sentence will be granted in respect of offenders guilty of certain crimes, other than violent crimes.
Violent crimes include murder, robbery, domestic violence and sexual abuse. – Sapa