CCRM reacts to Waterkloof pair’s cell party

Waterkloof four in prison cell. 160214 Picture: YouTube

Waterkloof four in prison cell. 160214 Picture: YouTube

Published Feb 17, 2014

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Johannesbrug - Preferential treatment continues to be given to offenders who are wealthy, the Corrections and Civil Rights Movement (CCRM) said on Monday.

“This kind (of) special treatment for certain offenders who are connected politically, socially, economically and (are) otherwise rich… is absolutely nothing new,” said CCRM president Golden Miles Bhudu in a statement.

He said several high-ranking officials at the department of correctional services including Minister Sibusiso Ndebele should be fired.

“And the time is now to send a clear and unambiguous (message) that the rot that starts from the head must be smacked there.”

The CCRM is a political party registered in 2010, and Bhudu has been a long-time campaigner for prisoners' rights under the banner SA Prisoners' Organisation for Human Rights. The CCRM says it aims to unite against crime and act as a political and human rights watchdog over the criminal justice system.

Convicted killers Frikkie du Preez and Christoff Becker were re-arrested on Sunday just days after being released on parole.

Becker, Du Preez, Gert van Schalkwyk and Reinach Tiedt were released on Tuesday after being jailed for beating a homeless man to death in Pretoria in 2001.

On Sunday, Wolela said the two were being held for allegedly smuggling alcohol and having a party inside the prison.

This came after a video of them was posted on YouTube which showed Du Preez and Becker drinking what might be alcohol, and using a cellphone in a jail cell.

Wolela said the two were currently being kept in the same prison.

Wolela said the investigation would involve watching the video, interviewing the two parolees and speaking to those responsible for security on the day.

In the video, Becker says in Afrikaans: “It's a nice weekend in jail here. We're having a great time… We managed to get a bottle of something.” - Sapa

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