The DA wrote to the Chairperson of the Correctional Supervision and Parole Review Board, Judge Siraj Desai after Shaik’s “shameful” attack. It comes after reports alleging that Shaik hurled profanities at the journalist. Mr Shaik is reported as stating that his health had significantly improved enough for him to headbutt the journalist and kick him in the genitals.
In this conversation Mr Shaik threatened to assault the journalist and was quoted as saying, “I will break you, white boy!”
Just last week the Correctional Supervision and Parole Review Board lightened Shaik’s parole conditions because he was believed to have demonstrated good behaviour and showed progress in his rehabilitation.
The DA says in the light of the latest report the relaxation of Shaik’s parole condition should be immediately withdrawn because his conduct and character in this regard does not represent a man who has fully rehabilitated and ready to be reintegrated into society. “In fact, it would appear that he has an anger management problem.”
Mr Shaik was released because he was in the final stages of a terminal illness, this no longer seems to be the case. By his own admission he has categorically stated – in this conversation – that his health had sufficiently improved to be able to assault someone.
The DA statement reads: “It must be noted that at the time this was a controversial decision given there was much speculation that Mr Shaik was not in fact terminally ill. Indeed, we suspected that Shaik was not eligible for medical parole but rather that he was receiving preferential treatment because he was closely linked to the President.
Additionally, Shaik knew that ordinary parole would not be granted two and half years into a fifteen-year sentence and now wants the Correctional Services Minister to grant him ordinary parole ex post facto.”
The DA has therefore appealed to Judge Desai to act in terms of Section 77(1)(b) of the Correctional Services Act which empowers the Correctional Supervisions and Parole Review Board to “substitute its own decision and make any order which the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board ought to have made.”
In the interest of the fairness as a critical component of South Africa’s criminal justice system and its integrity, we submit that it is crucial that Judge Desai engage our request with the due gravity it deserves of we are to restore and maintain equality before the law for all South Africans regardless of their political connectedness.
