9000 get Madiba's birthday remission

Saturday, 18 July, 1998

PRETORIA -- Correctional Services Minister Sipo Mzimela yesterday announced a special six-month remission for all sentenced prisoners to mark President Nelson Mandela's birthday.

This would result in the release of about 9000 prisoners from next week.
The NP expressed amazement at the decision.

The remission of sentence was in effect giving a birthday present to sentenced criminals, NP spokesperson on correctional services, Gert Oosthuizen, said.
"The NP would have preferred that murderers, rapists, armed robbers and child molesters be excluded from this remission."

The DP said it was "shocked and saddened" to hear of the six-month remission.
"This 'present' on the occasion of Mr Mandela's birthday ... makes a mockery of our criminal justice system and is a slap in the face to the victims of crime," DP spokesperson on prisons, James Selfe, said.

The DP had repeated often that the problem of crime in South Africa would not be solved until criminals had a reasonable expectation that they would be caught, tried and convicted, and that they would serve the sentences handed down by the courts, he said.

The UDM also criticised the announcement.

"Granting remission to mark the celebration of a birthday, even that of somebody with the stature of President Mandela, in a country where crime is one of the single greatest challenges, becomes ridiculous," it said.

Such an action reduced the morale of police and state prosecutors, and was insensitive to the victims of crime.

"Without society putting into place mechanisms to ensure the success of the departmental programmes, the prisoners may be susceptible to recidivism," the statement said. -- Sapa

http://www.dispatch.co.za/1998/07/18/southafrica/ABIRTHDA.HTM

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