DA WANT BANDIET ANSWERS
UNDER FIRE: DCS minister Pieter Groenewald
Image: Picture: Phando Jikelo/Independent Newspapers
THE Ministers of Correctional Services and Justice are under fire from the DA over circumstances leading to three juvenile inmates slipping out of custody.
This was after bandiete Xolani du Preez, Mikyle Mentoor, and Me-Kayle Timmie, disappeared from Pollsmoor prison.
The three were convicted of various crimes including murder, rape, and robbery.
The Daily Voice broke the news when Du Preez, a convicted murderer, was arrested for a robbery in Table View in April.
The DA said it had written to the chairperson of the Select Committee on Security and Justice, demanding urgent appearances of both ministers.
Initially, they were held at the Horizon Child and Youth Care Centre due to their age and were transferred to Pollsmoor Juvenile Centre in July 2024, after violently assaulting a staff member.
Mentor was apprehended last week, while Timmie remains unaccounted for.
The DA said both Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald and Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi were cited as respondents in the High Court application ordering the detention of the three.
The party said it had also submitted parliamentary questions to Kubayi to determine why these measures were not implemented.
The committee’s spokesperson, Rajaa Azzakani, said they had a meeting on Tuesday to allow the Department of Correctional Services to respond to the Judicial Inspectorate of Correctional Services’ issues reported on in their Annual Report.
She said: “A committee member raised other issues concerning the deaths in custody, remand detainees, and the department’s responsibility to account for every inmate, as well as parole matters. Please note that as certain matters are pending investigation by the DCS and due to the ongoing investigation, the matters will be responded to after the conclusion of those investigations."
The Justice Department has said that DCS is the most appropriate authority to handle the matter, while Groenewald spokesperson, Eune Oelofsen, said the minister was set for a meeting with relevant officials.