KEY POINTS
- Following parole revocation both Frans du Toit and Theuns Kruger received prison sentences once again.
- The Minister based his decision on public safety concerns together with the seriousness of their criminal acts.
- Activists together with Alison Botha celebrated this particular ruling which they saw as an important milestone.
Both Frans du Toit and Theuns Kruger lost their parole benefits after the South African Department of Correctional Services (DCS) decided to revoke their release privileges. These two prisoners committed the brutal 1994 assault of Alison Botha.
On Tuesday Dr. Pieter Groenewald announced through his role as Minister of Correctional Services that the parole of Frans du Toit and Theuns Kruger was revoked because of the need to protect the community combined with efforts to serve justice to victims of gender-based violence.
Two convicted rapists suffering from life imprisonment began their parole in July 2023 after serving 28 years of their sentence.
People throughout the country harshly criticized the decision as both activist organizations and Alison strongly rejected the parole release of the convicts.
The legal team and activist groups praised this historic ruling
The victory which Tania Koen declared for violent crime victims through this decision represented a historic win. She declared that Botha was happy and breathing openly for the first time.
Executive director Tania Koen announced an historical outcome regarding life terms that would be released without causing any violations to parole requirements in South African history.
The court established that parole constitutes a privilege which victims’ statements concerning impact must play an integral role in decisions about parole.
Botha exemplified strong resistance toward their parole because she believed they remained unrehabilitated along with harboring revengeful intentions.
The parole board chose to release the prisoners even though Ms. Botha had strongly cautioned against their liberty. These recent rulings will influence all future parole decisions when handling violent criminal cases.
