The Department of Correctional Services said – in an answer to a written question in parliament – that the parolees will also not go through an extra screening and testing process before release. This follows after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that about 19 000 prisoners are to be released on parole as part of the fight against Covid-19.

 Justice and Correctional Service Minister, Ronald Lamola, confirms that those set to be released on parole will be monitored throughout the lockdown period. He says if a parolee is classified as a maximum risk he will be monitored physically and the medium and low risk parolees will be monitored telephonically. Lamola says the current arrangement of monitoring only applies from level 5 to level 3 of the national lockdown. He says if one of the parolees’ experience symptoms after being released the department of Health will manage the case and make arrangements should the need for quarantine arise.

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