At least 2,280 inmates were released after President Cyril Ramaphosa approved parole for about 19,000 prisoners in an effort to curb the spread of the virus in overcrowded facilities.

Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said the department was working tirelessly to speed up the release process while ensuring that measures including victim participation and social reintegration programmes are not compromised.

Nxumalo said only low-risk offenders are eligible for the release programme.

“You will not release people who are serving sentences for murder or life sentences or any other crimes that are of a violent nature. Our community correctional service officers are there to ensure that they are successfully re-integrated into society and also to monitor them if some of them do transgress their parole conditions.”

To date, there have been 1,452 confirmed COVID-19 cases in prisons across South Africa.

Eyewitness News