Johannesburg - The National Freedom Party Youth Movement conveyed its condolences on Monday to the family of Xolile Mngeni, one of Anni Dewani's killers.
“Once more, his death reminds us of the imbalances in our society, and proves that indeed in South Africa, like in the novel Animal Farm [by George Orwell], some people are more equal than others,” NFPYM secretary general Maria Busi Tshabalala said in a statement.
“As the NFPYM, we know for a fact that if Xolile Mngeni had money he would have been given a medical parole but because he is poor, like most of us, the parole board made him die like an animal.”
Tshabalala said the NFPYM blamed the state for Mngeni's death.
“Xolile Mngeni's biggest crime was not to have killed or participated in the murder of Anni Dewani, but it was his poverty background and the fact that he or his family were not politically connected,” Tshabalala said.
The justice and correctional services department announced Mngeni's death on Saturday.
“It is unfortunate that inmate Xolile Mngeni passed on while the monitoring of his medical condition was underway. We wish to convey our condolences to his family and relatives,” Justice Minister Michael Masutha said in a statement.
Mngeni, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Dewani, died in Goodwood prison's hospital, Cape Town, around 2.30pm on Saturday.
Mngeni was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2011 and admitted to Groote Schuur Hospital in June.
The medical parole advisory board recommended he be placed on medical parole.
In July, Masutha denied Mngeni medical parole.
Masutha said this was because there were no appropriate arrangements for Mngeni's supervision, care and treatment.
In 2012, the Western Cape High Court jailed Mngeni, and co-accused Zola Tongo and Mziwamadoda Qwabe, for life for killing Dewani.
Mngeni was also jailed for 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances and to five years for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, to run concurrently with his life term.
Dewani, 28, was shot dead in Gugulethu on November 13, 2010, in an allegedly staged hijacking. Her body was found the next day.
The State alleges her husband Shrien Dewani conspired with Mngeni, Tongo, and Qwabe to stage the hijacking.
Dewani was extradited from Britain to South Africa in April to stand trial for murdering his wife during their Cape Town honeymoon.
He is charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, and defeating the ends of justice.
His trial continued on Monday.
Sapa