Editorial
Johannesburg - The infamous Station Strangler was released on parole this week. Norman Afzal Simons spent 28 years for the murder of 10-year-old Elroy van Rooyen in 1995, but remains widely suspected of the murder of 22 other children. He will be under house arrest for the rest of his life, but this is proving to be no solace for the people of Parow where Simons will be staying with his cousin.
Their anger – and their fear for children in the community is perfectly understandable. Our legal system is dysfunctional. The Department of Correctional Services is little better. It is very difficult to secure convictions in the first place, but once convicted and jailed, it is highly dubious how much rehabilitation of offenders takes place in the overcrowded underworld of our prisons.
The Rule of Law demands that prisoners be released after serving their sentences. Simons was thus entitled, as were Frans du Toit and Theuns Kruger earlier this month. They are the men, who raped, stabbed and eviscerated Alison Botha. They also served 28 years. The presiding judge described them as inherently evil when he sent them down. Janusz Walus, who murdered struggle icon Chris Hani, was paroled too last year. There are many others who are now free too.
All of these killers evoke revulsion, yet the law must take its course. The problem is that without efficient law enforcement agencies, victims never get justice. Without efficient correctional service systems, offenders never reform, but are released to offend again.
The people of Parow have every right to feel aggrieved – and scared. The families of the 22 victims of the Station Strangler can feel disgusted. Little Elroy’s family can despair. But it is not the law that is at fault, it is the fault of those who have sworn to uphold it and see justice done. They continue to fail us.