QUESTION FOR WRITTEN REPLY

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION NO: 1860.

DATE OF QUESTION: 19 JUNE 2017

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 03 JULY 2017

Mr J Selfe (DA) to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services:

(1) What is the date of the last medical assessment (a) undertaken by and (b) available to his department with regard to the health of the parolee Mr Shabir Shaik?

(2) whether the specified person’s condition is still considered to be terminal; if not, what steps has his department taken to review the parole status of the specified person; if so, what is the current prognosis with regard to life expectancy;

(3) what (a) is the last date on which the parole conditions of the specified person were reviewed and (b) are the details of the parole conditions that are currently applicable;

(4) has the specified person strictly complied with the conditions of parole; if not, what (a) are the relevant details of the infringement(s) and (b) steps has his department taken in this regard?      

NW2070E

REPLY:

(1)(a) & (b)  The last medical assessment by The Department of Correctional Services for parolee Mr. Shabir Shaik was conducted before he was released on medical parole on 03 March 2009.

(2)  The condition of the parolee is still viewed to be terminal. Medical parole was granted in terms of the provisions of Section 79 of the Correctional Services Act, Act No. 111 of 1998, before it was amended. Therefore, he was considered in terms of the then applicable legislation. The medical parole legislation was reviewed and Section 14 of the Correctional Services Amendment Act, Act No. 5 of 2011, which introduced the new medical parole system, came into effect on 01 March 2012. At the time the person in question was diagnosed as being in the final phase of a terminal disease.

(3)(a) Parole conditions were last reviewed on the 24 April 2015

(3)(b) Mr. Shabir Shaik is on house arrest with relaxing conditions namely:

Attending school functions for his son 17h00 to 19h00.

Working hours from 08h00 t0 18h30 – Monday to Friday.

Attending sports once a week from 12h00 to 19h00.

If he has to travel outside the Province, then he has to apply for leave of absence like any other offender.

(4)(a)   Yes.

(4)(b) Not applicable.

Issued by Parliament, 27 July 2017