By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has confirmed that convicted killer Donovan Stanley Moodley has been denied parole.
Moodley is serving a life sentence for the 2004 murder of university student Leigh Matthews.
He abducted the 21-year-old, Lee Matthews from outside Bond University in Morningside, Sandton, on 9 July 2004 and demanded a ransom from her parents for her safe return. Despite the family paying more than R50 000, Matthews was killed.
Her naked body was later discovered by a municipal worker in a veld in the south of Johannesburg.
In a media statement, the department said Moodley’s parole profile was considered in terms of Section 78 of the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998.
“After careful consideration of all relevant reports and submissions, the National Council for Correctional Services (NCCS) recommended to the Minister of Correctional Services, Dr Pieter Groenewald, that parole placement not be granted at this stage, “departmental spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said.
The council further recommended that Moodley undergo additional interventions before his profile is reconsidered.
Moodley’s parole profile will be resubmitted after 24 months for reconsideration by the NCCS and, thereafter, by the minister.
DCS minister Pieter Groenewald reiterated that parole consideration was not based solely on the completion of programmes or the minimum period of incarceration. He stated that statutory bodies assess all available information, including professional reports and risk assessments, before making their recommendations.
“The placement of offenders back into the community must satisfy all structures involved in the parole consideration process, confirming that rehabilitation has been achieved and that any risk posed to the community is manageable, “Groenewald said.
Meanwhile they’ve been growing calls for a dedicated Parole Act to fix glaring weaknesses in the system.
Created under the 1998 Correctional Services Act to focus on rehabilitation, the parole system is now crippled by delays, poor oversight and little to no qualified professionals, who are meant to make life-changing decisions about the release of prisoners.
Groenewald added that this is a process which has come a long way. It already started in 2015 and when he became the minister, he said this process of streamlining the system must now be finalised.