requesting the release of some prisoners to alleviate overcrowding in prisons and curb the spread of Covid-19, GroundUp reported.
To curb its spread, the signatories suggested a “carefully, targeted, selective release” of inmates.
These included those over the age of 60, frail, sick and terminally ill prisoners, petty and non-violent offenders – including those jailed for non-violent drug-related offences – prisoners with less than one year of their sentence remaining, those approaching their parole date, inmates imprisoned with the option of paying a fine and foreign nationals detained on immigration-related charges.
On Monday, Eyewitness News reported Ramaphosa would announce the release of the prisoners after the department had done the necessary work, but it never materialised.
